Only The Echoes Of The Sand
by Roz
Summary: Ardeth goes out in his coming-of-age hunt and runs into some trouble. After being captured by a renegade tribe with a reason to hate the Med-Jai, the young teenage Med-Jai warrior must fight for his life and freedom.
1. The innocent beginning

**Ok, now everyone please forgive me!! This is the first fic that I've ever done for this fandom so please forgive me about everything in this fic! Virtually all the characters are made up, well everyone excepting Ardeth of course… Duh…**

It's AU, and follows an event in Ardeth's childhood so therefore it has none of the other characters in it. Sorry, all you die-hard Rick, Imhotep, Meela, Anuck-su-na-mun, Evelyn, Jonathon, and every other character possible, but I'm afraid they're not going to show up here. Also, I had no idea about Ardeth's childhood so I made him up some parents and other stuff….

Disclaimer: I don't anything here. Well, actually, let me rephrase that. I don't own Ardeth but all other characters are mine. Please don't use them, unless you tell me first that you're going to use them. But I do own Aragorn-the-16-year-old!!! YAHOO!! Damn, that's a lie too. Why do I seem to like guys with long hair that fight with swords and turn out to either be leaders or kings??

**Author:** Roz

**Email:**aeterno_estel@hotmail.com 

**Rating:** PG-13 (due to violence and other stuff……)

**Genre:** Sex, drugs and rock and roll. Nah, joking there! Action, violence, drama, and angst? I guess whatever you see in it…..

**Summary:** Ardeth goes out on his coming-of-age hunt and runs into some trouble. After being captured by a renegade tribe with a reason to hate the Med-Jai, the young warrior must fight for his life and find a way back to his tribe. 

**Feedback:** Oh please, please, PLEASE!!! I live for feedback!! Even if you tell me I suck and should jump off a cliff!!! Please send all death-threats to my email!!

**Archival:** I would be honoured to be in someone archives, just tell me first so I can visit your pages as well!

**And finally! On with the story!**

*** 

Ardeth Bay stepped out onto the bare sand and glanced at his surroundings, a smile gracing his lips. With his head proudly held high, his feet apart and shoulders squared, he looked as impressive as a future leader of the Med-Jai should look. 

But it was the wide smile, the laughing expression and the mischievous look in his eye that gave away his frivolity and enjoyment of the moment.

Ardeth Bay had come of age that very morning. He had just turned 18.

Dressed in simple black robes, the young man spread out his arms and threw his head back just as a zephyr of wind caught him. Swirling the sand into miniature cyclones at his feet, the wind tore at his cloak and pushed his dark locks of hair streaming loose. The wind grew stronger, making his cloak struggle fiercely against his body, the cloth pulling tight against his chest and trying vainly to follow the flow of the breeze. The sand eddies swirled higher, engulfing the slight figure in a vortex, the black robes and brown sand mingling together and becoming as one.

Ardeth had his eyes clenched tightly together and smiled even wider as he felt the sand scrape across his skin, and the wind ruffle his hair. The wind shrieked around him and fingers tore at his cloak and caressed his face. Without thinking, the teenager opened his mouth and let out a roar of exhilaration. The instinctive cry of adrenaline and joy rushed through the boy's senses and echoed up through the sandy cyclone, pulling itself loose and reverberating throughout his camp.

As suddenly as the wind had come, it left, leaving in its place a very dusty but very happy teenager. Ardeth let loose another cry which echoed throughout the wadi he was camped and slowly lowered his arms.

Apparently, the gods approved of him.

He shook his head, still grinning and laughed as a torrent of sand feel out from his dark locks. He turned and looked at the horizon, the sun just beginning to rise in the east. The sky was a light blue, no cloud marring the image. The sand was a pale golden colour, the rays of the sun turning the sand glittering and dazzling with shades of red and pink wherever it touched.

Things were good, Ardeth surmised, while walking back over to his campfire.

Breakfast was a quick and hurried affair, the newly turned 18 year old, having no patience. As soon as the meal was eaten, the campfire dampened with sand and all signs of camp erased, the young Med-Jai threw himself over his horse and quickly galloped off.

He laughed wildly as he bumped on it's bare back; the horse having caught his owner's adrenaline had its neck stretched out, it's black mane flowing loose in the wind, it's powerful legs eating up the distance and kicking up the sand, it's nostrils wide open and its mouth slightly opened, panting. 

Slowly, both the teenager and horse calmed down and the horse dropped back from a gallop to a canter, from a canter to a trot and finally from a trot to a walk. 

Ardeth laughed once again, and rubbed his horse's sweaty neck. The horse snickered in pleasure and tossed its head.

Things are great; Ardeth changed his opinion while surveying the seemingly empty desert in front of him. 

He was out on his coming of age hunt – and life couldn't be better. 

When all boys turned 18 in the Med-Jai camp, they could, if they wished it, test their survival skills with only the basic elements needed to survive. 

Most boys decided they couldn't be bothered going, and preferred to stay in the camp and practice the warring and fighting skills in preparation for their examination when they turned 21. 

Ardeth had gone against the general consensus and had left the night before, glad to get out of the camp and rely on himself. And he did not regret making that decision. 

His parents, the leader of the Med-Jai and his wife hadn't questioned their son's decision but took it gently in their stride, his father giving him simple advice and leaving most of judgments to his hopefully capable son. Truth be told, his mother was slightly worried but all mothers were every time that their son stepped a foot out of the camp.

He was only allowed the basic essentials and everything else had to be either invented along the way or dealt without. He had in possession a horse with only a rope rein, no saddle, a bow and arrow with a suitable supply of arrows, a scimitar, a water pouch, a knife and the clothes he was wearing. 

He was hunting. He had eaten a fair bit before he had left, making sure that he had enough fat on him to survive the harsh desert but just in one day, he had sweated and worked most of it off, his body rejecting the fat and virtually instantly turning it into muscle as the young Med-Jai travelled through the desert. Most boys that left to go on their trip returned with only about ½ their body weight. 

Surviving in the desert was harsh on the body but Ardeth was well-equipped to deal with it. His muscles gleamed as if oiled in the sun and riding and running was easy and took nothing out of him. 

But he had been given no food when he had left and he was hungry, his fast metabolism telling him that it was time for some food once again. 

Ardeth stopped his horse and slid off the black sweat-slicked fur back and dropped gently his knees, his fingers touching the sand gently. He raised his head and looked closely at the sand for tell tale signs of some suitable prey.

He found it and murmured unintelligently to himself, scooting forward, being careful to not disturb the tracks any further.

He had found the tracks of a jackal, heading north. 

Touching the indentation of a jackal's paw print briefly Ardeth slowly stood up and surveyed his surroundings once more before vaulting back onto his horse.

He gently grabbed the reins and steered his mount northwards, his bare feet soothingly touching the horse's flank and subtly redirecting it. He whinnied softly, obeying its master commands and Ardeth kept close watch on the tracks beside him. 

Jackals could travel miles in just one day and it appeared that this one was fit. Ardeth grinned suddenly, his white teeth gleaming.

"This will just make the hunt more interesting", he surmised as he patted his horse. However, the day had just begun and looking at the tracks, they had a fair way to go before Ardeth even had the chance of spotting his prey – and his stomach was still viciously protesting its lack of food.

Ardeth dug his heels into his horse's side and crouched over the neck of the horse, as it sprung forward and flew over the dunes, still following the tracks.

Ardeth's smile grew wider as he flew with the horse, not realising just how far this hunt was going to take him. 

This hunt would test the young Med-Jai's strength and ahead a fight awaited the teenager. It was a fight that would decide the young leader's future - whether he would live or perish.

*** 

Abel looked out across the burning sands and sighed deeply, wrapping her arms around herself tightly in a vain attempt to keep in the body heat that was fast escaping due to the crisp, cold air of the desert afore night. 

She dipped her head and allowed her long, dark hair to cover over half her face and closed her eyes slowly, the long lashes framing her exquisitely darkened eyes. She started as an arm snaked itself across her belly but relaxed as it pulled her towards it's owner.

She looked up into a pair of eyes as dark as her own and a face ruggedly handsome, with the lines of power and fatigue drawn faintly across its suntanned skin. The eyes stared back at her, deep love and gentleness echoed in their irises. Abel sighed once again and let her head lay back upon his chest, her almost black hair blending in with the owner's robes.

"Abel, what are you thinking about?" Hashim chided his wife gently as he gently held her to his body and kissed her hair. He loved the smell of her; it never ceased to surprise the Med-Jai leader that such a beautiful woman would've married him. 

"Nothing much Hashim." Abel avoided her husband's eyes and continued to stare out across the sandy dunes, unease rippling in her feelings.

Hashim smiled lazily, his grin amazingly like an echo of his sons'. "You are worried about our son, are you not?" He forced her to turn around and face him.

Abel looked up at him and nodded slowly. "There is something….. You might think me crazy Hashim, but there is something……"

Hashim regarded his wife quietly, silently taking in her feelings. Sometimes she could feel things that he could not and vice versa. He positioned his arm across her waist and pulled her close, drawing her in closer to his body, sharing their body heat in the crisp dawn. "What are you feeling?"

Abel exhaled slowly and snuggled deeper into his robes, "I do not know what I quite feel. I am definitely feeling anxious and worried, like every mother would be. But there is something else hidden beneath that. Something more uneasy, something more sinister. I can't tell what it is. I'm sorry Hashim but I cannot fully explain it to you."

Hashim stroked her hair and tried to quell her rising fears, "Ardeth will be fine Abel. He is a very capable young man, we should know it. How many times has he told us that he is fine by himself and that we should trust him more and that he can hold his own?" The leader of the Med-Jai laughed heartily, remembering the arguments that him and his son had had, Ardeth trying to receive independence and freedom. 

Abel grinned uncertainly but the smile vanished as she shivered.

Hashim frowned and drew her closer, "What is wrong wife?"

Abel's face paled and she bit her lip, "I do not know husband. It's like some bird of prey deep within my chest, clutched my heart and tore it to shreds with its taloned claws and then shrieked a cry of a thousand devils to have only the echoes of the sand hear him." She trembled and clutched a handful of her leader's robe.

"I'm scared Hashim. Something is going to go wrong. I'm scared for Ardeth. Something is not right."

The leader clicked his tongue and made soothing noises from the back of his throat while caressing his wife's head and staring out across the ever-brightening sand. "Do not worry yourself Abel. Our Ardeth will be fine. He is strong, the future leader of the Med-Jai and he is our son. We have taught him well, and whatever the events Allah wishes to send upon Ardeth – I'm sure our son will hold himself honourably."

The Med-Jai wrapped his arms protectively across his wife's trembling chest and sent up a prayer to the gods, _Allah, protect my son._

**** 

Ardeth knelt once again in the sand, unaware of the danger that was silently stalking him back behind the sandy dunes.

The jackal had slowed down and the young man knew that he was closing in on his prey. He gave a whoop of exhilaration and ran lightly along the sand, his footprints barely visible on the surface.

As he hunted down his prey, Ardeth didn't realise that he himself was prey for a much larger, a more vindictive, much darker predator.

It was a mistake that would cost the young Med-Jai dearly.

**** 

Dark, beady eyes watched him from abreast the top of a sand dune mere metres away. The sound of jingling was mutely heard throughout the dense mid-morning air as the horses impatiently tossed their heads and blew through their lips. It was testament to the concentration of the young man that they were watching, that he didn't even notice the slight clinking on the air.

A man in light brown robes sneered as he watched the teenager's carefree antics.

"He will not know what hit him." A man in tan spoke superciliously beside him.

The brown man nodded and smiled a toothy smile, devoid of all caring emotion. "Yes, the Med-Jai will not know what hit them."

A hooded grey figure behind the brown man silently inched his horse closer and asked, "My Lord, do you wish the order to be given? My archers have him sighted and can easily take him down. That is the silent method of course, but we also have the rifle sighted upon him."

The brown man, apparently the leader was silent for a moment, deep in thought and replied, "Not quite yet. I am waiting for a message. We will continue to stalk him and order all the men to remain out of view. Understand?"

The grey figure nodded curtly and moved his horse away, talking softly to the dozen men assembled behind him. 

The man in tan raised his eyebrows questioningly but the brown man silenced any unspoken questions with a decisive wave of his hand. "Patience my son."

"But father, he is unarmed, he is clearly unaware that we are here. Why don't we kill him right here, right now?"

"Don't question my motives Jawhar. There are higher things at work here." The voice was cold, clipped and curt.

Jawhar flinched inwardly, glad that his hood was hiding most of the view of his face. He lowered his eyes from his father's face and nodded in submission.

"Yes father."

Ruwaid, the leader of the Sami-Nimr turned away from his son and surveyed the black teenager playing in the sand beneath and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, the Med-Jai curs will pay for everything that they have done."

**** 

**Okay, now that is a taste of what is to come, I guess. This chapter is what i'd call a, "Testing the water" chapter. I'm trying to decide whether i should continue with this, or should i just give up? I mean, whats the point of writing a Ardeth Childhood fic, full of angst, blood, torture, betrayal and sex? (Haha, as if. No sex. No romance. I can't stand writing romance fics.), if no-one is going to read it? Or even if no-one even likes young Ardeth fics?**

But tell me if you like it, and i'll continue it. If you don't....i don't know....


	2. The capture

**Hmmm, I got several review!! I guess, i might continue. I'm writing this on the run, which is different to all my other stories (i normally, write them all up then post them) but oh well. I wanted to see what kind of reception I'd get here. I guess, this must really suck.**

Hurtsie warning. Ardeth gets hurt bad here..... Warning ends

**** 

Ardeth paused from tracking the jackal and looked up as a cry split the desert air.

The figure of majestic falcon flew overhead and keened loudly before disappearing over the dunes to the young man's left.

Ardeth marvelled at the gracefulness of the bird then shrugged and continued tracking.

The predator was drawing closer to its prey.

**** 

Ruwaid bared his teeth in triumph as he read the piece of paper attached the messenger's leg. Things couldn't be any better.

Apparently, the Med-Jai youngster they were tracking was no less then the son of Hashim, the leader of the Med-Jai. The future leader of the Med-Jai.

He passed the piece of paper wordlessly to his son and as his son read it, he turned to the men behind him and gave them the orders.

"We have just received information from an informant within the Med-Jai camp itself, that the boy that we have been tracking, is indeed, Ardeth Bay. Now, we all know what this means. When we capture this boy, Hashim will be in a position where we will be able to force his hand, as he cares for his son." He looked around at the sneering faces and contempt produced at the mention of the hated desert tribe.

"So, we will ride down and capture him. I would prefer him to be unwounded as we will need to travel quickly to escape the wrath of the Med-Jai trackers when they realise what has happened, but if things do not go to plan – aim to wound, not kill. But I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If it appears that we are going to lose him, kill him. I only want him alive and our prisoner or dead and free. Understand?" Nods followed his speech and swords were silently drawn from their sheaths and rifles held tighter in the men's dusty hands.

"Fine. Half of the group split up. We will circle him. Keep things quiet but if he realises that we are there, run him down. I don't care how you get him, but capture him. Let's go." He concluded his speech and after catching his son's eye, he galloped away with half the men following behind him. The other half followed Jawhar, in an attempt to circle and trap the unfortunate teenager. 

**** 

Ardeth put his hand over his eyes in a vain attempt to shield them form the harsh desert sun. There! He could see the jackal. He was close.

The pale brown and tan spotted creature wasn't aware of him and continued to lope steadily away.

_"There he is! I see him. Med-Jai. I do not see what is so fearful about them, he is but a child. No more older then I."_

"Careful Jawhar. You have not yet been in a battle with one."

Ardeth tickled his horse slightly over it's ribs and his stallion picked up speed slowly but silently. The jackal was getting larger in the boy's range of vision and it still hadn't seen him.

_"He's picking up speed!! Do you think he's seen us?"_

"No, Jawhar. Look at him. That stupid Med-Jai has eyes only for one thing. That jackal in the distance. It appears that he has been tracking it as we have been tracking him."

"I thought that the Med-Jai were supposed to be in-tune with everything and sensitive to the nature around them. I thought they were supposed to be better then this! This is almost too easy!"

"I was also told that the Med-Jai were courageous, wild, strong and a fair tribe – their only interest in keeping an ancient evil from unleashing itself upon this earth that Allah provided for us. But, I no longer believe that after I saw the destruction that they wreaked on our village. Sadistic bastards."

"I, also, have heard about that. Although I was only 8 when it happened. That was 10 years ago."

"I was there when we rode into what remained in our village. Nothing was left. Nothing. Those 'warrior's had destroyed everything."

The jackal was becoming uneasy. Something was making it stop and sniff the air. Its ears were perked up and it swished it's tail nervously from side to side. To tell the truth, Ardeth was beginning to feel uneasy. His horse reflected his mood, as it stamped its feet, tossed it's head and whinnied loudly.

_"Everything?"_

"Yes, everything. Houses – gone. Men – mown down in their dozens. Women and children – captured and slaughtered. We lost over half our village that day. The Med-Jai didn't have the courage to face us. They had to wait until we had left on a hunting party, then they moved into our defenceless village."

The jackal suddenly spun around 360 degrees and looked directly at the black-clad teenager on the stamping stallion and bolted. It had realised it was being hunted. Ardeth let out a yell and dug his heels into his steed's side. 

_"He's galloping away!"_

"He still hasn't seen us though! He's still only watching that jackal."

"I don't care. We'll lose him, remember what father said."

"Yes, alive and captured or dead and free."

"Let's go!!"

Ardeth crouched low over his horse's head, trying to keep his centre of gravity right about the stallion's shoulders so that he could run faster. The jackal was tiring. He was gaining on it.

_"Sound the horn! Alert my father!"_

"Yes Jawhar."

The deep, loud, bass of a horn split the air and Ardeth nearly fell off his horse in surprise. The jackal temporarily forgotten, he stopped the stallion so suddenly that it nearly sat down on its haunches. 

_"Ha! That got his attention."_

"This will cement it! AIM TO WOUND!!"

The young Med-Jai sat up straighter on his horse and tried to ascertain where the noise had come from. Too late he saw them. The horn blew again and the sand dunes around him suddenly seemed alive with the moving bodies of horses and men. Judging from their weapons aimed at him and the screams and battle cries, they did not seem friendly.

_"Now the putrid Med-Jai sees the Sami-Nimr in all it's defining glory! Death to the Med-Jai!"_

"**DEATH TO THE MED-JAI!**"

Ardeth stared, open-mouthed as the men seemed to just appear out of nowhere. Realising that he didn't stand a chance against fighting all of them, the boy turned his horse around and fled, heading towards the open sand.

_"He's fleeing! The Med-Jai scum is terrified! Running away like a dog with its tail between its legs."_

"He will not get far. Your father, Ruwaid, is just over that rise where the boy is aiming. He will be in for a nasty surprise."

Ardeth exulted. He was going to make it. He was accelerating away from the group of men behind him and the open sand beckoned, it's glorious orange/golden colour never seeming so bright in the young man's life. He dug his heels in deeper and slapped the horse on its rump, trying to urge it to go faster.

_"He's going to make it! He's going to get away!"_

"Allah no! He will not get away. I will bring him down before he makes it."

Closer, closer. He was almost there. The horse was panting hard, he could feel it's ribs pumping beneath his legs. All he needed to do was get out of this trap, then the stallion could rest as much as it wanted. Just another couple of seconds and he would be out.

_"Quickly Mikail! He is almost lost!"_

"No, he is not."

Ardeth turned slightly to get a look at his unknown assailants when something struck him just below his left shoulder blade. The force of the blow threw him forward and he cried out aloud at the searing pain and jerked spasmodically on the horse's reins.

_"There, I have hit him."_

"Well done, Mikail. Father will be proud. Where is he anyway?"

Ardeth gasped as the pain grew and blossomed and he pulled the reins in tightly to himself, making the horse jerk to a stop and rear up slightly.

_I'll bet that hurts, doesn't it Med-Jai? And that's for Emira."_

The horse screamed in pain as the rein tore into it's soft sensitive mouth and tried to desperately to loosen the edge of the rein, pulling its head to the left and virtually collapsing on the sand as the gasping boy on its back pulled tightly on the reins again.

_"Oh, his horse is down. Stupid boy. He should've just let the horse keep going, he might've made it still."_

"No, he wouldn't have. I would've made sure that the next arrow would've gone through his heart."

Ardeth let another cry escape from him, as he fell onto the ground, the pain in his shoulder growing exponentially. The horse screamed once as he landed on top of the boy and Ardeth gasped as he felt the full weight of the stallion fall onto his pelvis. 

_"The horse is crushing him!"_

"He is still holding the reins, he must let go."

The young Med-Jai unconsciously let go of the reins as the horse struggled to get back up. The pain was debilitating and making the world swim in and out of focus but the boy knew that lying on the sand wouldn't help him and with his last ounce of strength, he swung his leg over the stallion's back and tightly gripped onto it's mane. The horse struggled to it's feet and the boy realising that he had nothing to hit the horse with and didn't have the energy to kick it in the belly – screamed loudly into it's ear. A cry full of pain and fear, made to scare the horse into bolting. And bolt, the stallion did. 

_"He's back on the horse!"_

"Don't worry, he won't be there long."

The stallion laid its ears back on its head and its eyes rolled back into its head. The whites of its eyes showing as it sprinted off, terrified. Ardeth groaned as every stride made his body burn and jerked his torn and bleeding muscles. He wouldn't be able to take anymore of this.

_"He's sprinting away! He's going to get away!"_

"Trust me Jawhar. He won't get away."

The image of the horizon was blurring in and out of focus as the boy struggled to hold onto consciousness. Almost, he was almost there.

_"Shoot him! SHOOT HIM MIKAIL!"_

"Just wait Jawhar. Patience. Patience."

"He's getting away! As son of the leader, I command you to **SHOOT HIM!**"

The world was a just a blur of pain to the boy as he felt the muscles working beneath him. His back felt like it was on fire and he was hyperventilating in a vain attempt to still the pain. He could feel blood running down his ribs and didn't realise that it was running down his steed's side and leaving a trail large enough for anyone to follow.

_"I said SHOOT HIM MIKAIL! Do you dare disobey me??"_

"You are not your father yet, Jawhar, and I will not take orders from you! Trust me and you will see something!"

The horse was slowing as it climbed the dune, its hooves kicking up the sand. Ardeth relaxed, he was out of there. He was out of the trap, he would be fine.

_"Now, we have lost him."_

"Just watch……."

He was nearing the top, the summit was a mere metre above him. He would reach the top and plummet downwards and be out of harms way forever more. He would go home and tell his parents about the strange happenings and he would tell his friends about the courageous tale about his escape and he would wow all the girls with his battle scars.

Suddenly, his horse reared up and it was only the death grip upon it's mane that let the boy stay on it's back. A wall of horses and men smashed into the boy and his horse and Ardeth Bay was knocked off his horse and onto the ground, where he fell amongst the sharp hooves and powerful legs of the horses commandeered by the Sami-Namr. No one noticed the boy fall off in the scum.

_"See Jawhar? I told you to wait. Now, your father has captured the Med-Jai scum."_

"Won't he be trampled underneath all of them?"

"So what?"

Ruwaid held his scimitar high and screamed a battle-cry with enough violence and anger that the very sands seemed to echo and vibrate with its intensity.

Ardeth curled up and tried his best to stay out of the way of the flailing hooves but with all the horses, it would've been a miracle if not a hoof touched him. 

_"He is being trampled!!"_

"So what?!?!"

"I thought we wanted him alive!"

"So we did, but Death is just as good."

Ruwaid reached the dark stallion that the boy had been riding and was surprised to not find the Med-Jai child on its back. Still, that did not stop him and he raised his sword high before plunging it deep into the horses chest, the blade cutting deep and stopping the horse's heart.

Ardeth heard the scream of his dying horse from his foetal position on the ground. 

"**NO!**" That was his stallion! HIS stallion! He'd had it ever since he could remember. He'd learnt to ride on it, he'd trained on it. That horse was his best friend. They were slaughtering his best friend.

The boy struggled to his knees and with great courage and despair climbed to his feet. Immediately he was swept away in a jumble of sweating horses and swearing men. Still, no one noticed the boy and the scream for his dying horse was lost in the swirling cacophony of thudding hooves and guttural screaming voices.

_"Father just killed the horse!"_

"That is to stop the Med-Jai from getting back a fine steed."

"Wouldn't it have been better to keep it ourselves?"

"Well, yes. But Med-Jai horses have this habit of trying to return to their masters and camps. He would've given away our position."

"Where is the boy?"

"I don't know."

"If he's still underneath that stampede, I don't give him a hope for his life."

"Maybe Allah will take pity on that pathetic creature and spare him."

"Maybe…….."

Ardeth tried to straighten up and cried out his horse's name as he heard it squealing in its death-screams of agony. They couldn't have just killed his horse. That was barbaric. He tried to force his way to his stallion but gasped as a horse cannoned straight into him, his shoulder impacting with its rib cage. The force of the collision threw him off his feet and he fell once again to the ground, this time not so lucky.

A horse trod directly on the arrow still sticking out of his shoulder blade and indiscriminately ripped it out as it galloped on. Ardeth gasped and tears came to his eyes as the pain exploded and tripled.

The world was growing fuzzy. Ardeth Bay was losing control of his muscles as his body was going into shock. 

_"There he is! Lying on the ground! Is he alive?"_

"I don't know. Your father is dismounting to see."

"He was under the horses for a long time. I don't think he'll live."

"Good."

The boy wasn't in the right state of mind to realise that all the men had stopped the steeds and were staring with hate at the boy lying on the sand, its golden colour slowly changing to a dark red as the teenager bled. 

Ruwaid dismounted off his horse and strode fiercely over to the boy, wiping his scimitar of the blood from the boy's horse on his robes.

Ardeth's world was fast turning grey and pale, the world seeming to retreat and his eyes clouding over.

Ruwaid roughly grabbed the boy's bloodstained face and stared intently into his fast-hazing eyes and as the boy gave a shudder and closed his eyes, the leader of the Sami-Nihr dropped his head disdainfully on the sand and kicked sand onto the still body of the teenager.

"**DEATH TO THE MED-JAI!**"

_"Is he dead?"_

"He appears to be, Jawhar."

"Good."

**** 

**No, Ardeth isn't dead. But if i don't get any reviews, i'm not going to update!! Just one review! If i get one review, i'll update! So send in a review!!**


	3. Entrance of a traitor

** Hello ppl!! I'm sooo sorry that it's been so long. Its just so much stuff has been happening and its not all good. Here are some of my excuses why i took so long. **

1) My mother had undergo a major operation.

2) One of my friends died.

3) One of my aunties died a week later.

4) I'm failing yr12

5) I'm nearly having a nervous breakdown because of yr 12

6) I celebrated my 17th a bit too strenously

7) I was having family problems at home. 

Thats just some of my excuses. My main one would have to be the all time cursed WRITERS BLOCK. I'm afriad after all this time i didn't even finish the story. I just wrote a couple of pages more. I figured i better upload something or else everyone will forget that this story ever existed.

So please, please, _please_ forgive me for the long wait and all the slow updates to come. I'm trying my best to get it done quickly but you would have NO IDEA how stressful yr12 is at the moment.....

I hope you like this next chapter. Tell me what you think? Or does everyone hate me now?

**** 

A black robed man stood on the dune overlooking the Med-Jai camp and sneered at the life stirring below.

Med-Jai. They all deserved to die painful, slow, torturous deaths. 

One of the people below looked sleepily up at him and smiled slowly, their white teeth starkly contrasting against the dark, tanned skin. The almost ant-sized figure lifted up his arm and waved lazily at the black-robed figure standing upon the dune.

Shahin instantly dropped his sneer of contempt and forcefully pasted an expression of goodwill on, the hate distantly visible underneath the flimsy mask. He also smiled, his smile missing any goodwill, the teeth clenched together in anger. He waved jerkily to the leader of the Med-Jai. To Hashim, the father of Ardeth, who he was currently helping hunt down.

Hashim gave another wave for good measure then strode off, his robe billowing out behind him as he hurried off to the morning council.

As soon as the leader's back was turned, Shahin dropped his arm as if it was lead and his eyes glared holes into the back of the leader's head. 

One day, very soon, he was going to be the one that would put the cocky, _friendly_, murderous Med-Jai leader to death. Hopefully, that day was very, very soon. 

A shrieking cry split the air and Shahin spun around away from the retreating Hashim's back and out back of the endless desert. A beautiful falcon wheeled overhead and dropped gracefully to land upon Shahin's waiting fist.

The man drew his in breath in excitement as he unrolled the message that was attached to the falcon's leg. It was simple and to the point. It said:

_Ardeth Bay captured. Return to camp._

But the part that made Shahin grin madly with glee was the fact the message was written in blood.

**** 

Jawhar stared with hate filled eyes at the black figure that was draped over the pommel of his horse. Why his horse? Why did he have to be so near to that, that…that, thing? Just having the unconscious Med-Jai near him made the Sami-Nhir teenager itch with repulsion. They should've just put a bullet into the black-robed teenager's head.

They had left the dead horse where Ruwaid had felled it and had left quickly, speedily and efficiently erasing their tracks as they rode. After ascertaining that they boy was still alive, they had bodily picked him up and dumped him onto Jawhar's horse and rode off.

Jawhar hadn't verbally expressed his anger of having been chosen for the task, but his body posture and eyes said enough. There was nothing that the teenager could wish for more then for the Med-Jai youngster to suddenly drop dead.

Ruwaid wheeled his horse around and silently observed his son plodding along, his back held as straight as an iron poker and his eyes glinting with anger and disgust. He noticed with amusement that his son didn't let any part of his body touch the Med-Jai on his horse and then he noticed with growing apprehension that the teenager was still bleeding and was leaving a trail large enough for any half-wit to follow. The Med-Jai need not send out their best men, they could've sent out their village idiot and it still would have successfully tracked down the missing leader's son.

It would not do, to leave a trail so easily readable.

"Jawhar!" He called out to his son and saw with an unreadable expression that as soon as his son turned to face him, the expression of hate and disgust wiped themselves off and was replaced with a blank, dull, subservant look.

"Yes father?"

"The Med-Jai is leaving a trail. Stop it."

"Father!" Jawhar started whining but quickly stopped as his father's eyes turned hard, "What do you wish me to do?"

"I don't care. Use your brain. Just stop him from bleeding!" Ruwaid replied curtly and turned around before his son could argue.

But argue, Jawhar did, "WHAT do you want me to do??"

Anger tinted the older man's voice and he tersely answered, "Hold him upright. Lean him against you. Just stop him from bleeding."

"WHAT?!?!? I'm not touching that, that, piece of FILTH!!" Jawhar spat out. "Why didn't YOU just SHOOT HIM?!?! This is stupid father!! STUPID!! He doesn't deserve to live!! He should be dead! DEAD!! Do you hold sympathy with these scum?? Don't you remember what they did to us? Don't you remember the village massacre?? Don't you remember Emira?? Don't you remember Zora?? Why did you bother to spare his life??? It is a folly! He should've died in the stampede!! You should've shot him! THIS IS STUPID!"

Ruwaid spun his horse back around and strode swiftly back to his sons side, his eyes were glinting with anger and his face was a mask of fury. He hissed in his son's face, "How dare you. **How DARE you!** How dare you question me and my motives!"

"But father!! You are—" The boy didn't get further before a blow snapped his head sideways and he slowly raised his hand up to his cheek, where a red handprint was beginning to form.

"Don't you EVER question me again. Do you hear me? If you do, I swear, I'll flog you to an inch of you life." Ruwaid growled and left quickly, not seeing the tears in his son's eyes and the pain evident in his facial features.

The Sami-Nhir teenager slowly dropped his hand and head and very slowly pulled the Med-Jai up against him. As he did, a feeling of hate filled him. It was this Med-Jai's entire fault. Everything. If it wasn't for him, his family wouldn't have been slaughtered, his father wouldn't be so angry all the time and he wouldn't have hit him. He seriously considered pulling out his knife and shoving it in between the teenager's ribs but it was only the fear of the reprimand from his father that stopped him from committing such an act.

With a jerk, he pulled the Med-Jai upright and with a sash, tied the teenager to him, his fury and contempt obvious in every action he performed.

The Med-Jai was going to pay for everything when he woke up.

**** 

Hashim grinned at the black figure on the top of the dune and waved. The figure waved jerkily back before swiftly turning around to greet the incoming falcon. 

Although Shahin could look intimidating, he was a good man. Or so Hashim thought.

He looked back once more, to where his wife was leaning anxiously upon the doorway of their house. Her hand shading her eyes, her head turned out towards the desert, her black, glossy hair flowing loose and her arms wrapped uneasily around her tense body. She hadn't moved from the same spot since he had left her.

Something deep within was bothering her. 

Hashin shrugged and shook his head. Ardeth was fine.

After all, nothing had happened to the Med-Jai in decades. Why should it start now?

But, even so, something deep within him, tugged and stirred up the silt in his mind, making him doubt his own words and giving him anxious twinges. 

He would be glad when his son returned home.

**** 

Ardeth groaned and cracked open his eyes partially. Something seemed to be glued to them but with extreme effort he managed to wedge them open. The world didn't look right, half black and the rest of it was blurry and misting in and out of his vision. 

Then the pain struck him.

His shoulder and back was screaming and kicking for attention, something was definitely wrong with his body. He groaned again and moved slightly to lessen the pain. 

The thoughts were coming back now, distant and hazy. Creeping in under the door like a whimpering child, afraid of the reprimands to follow. The memories were confused and his brain was sodden and slow. Hooves, arrows, bodies. A mash of bodies and the sound of drums. 

Drums? Ardeth blinked. That didn't seem right. The _sound_ of _drumming_. He closed his eyes and moaned again as the memories rushed back and righted themselves in his mind. He remembered everything. The sound of drumming was the hooves that he was under, when he was under the horses.

They had killed his horse. _Who_ were they though? Where was he??

Ardeth's eyes flew open as he realised that he wasn't lying on the sand. He hadn't been left for dead, he was with someone. He could feel their body heat seeping through his clothes and although his head was sagging onto his chest, he was against someone. His body started trembling violently and he moaned again as the vibrations made his shoulder ache. 

Ardeth was cold. His body had just grown extremely cold, despite the heat that his body was emitting. Trembles racked his gangly frame and he closed his eyes, his head sinking back onto his chest and his body falling back onto the person behind him, his form frantically searching out the body heat of the other. Arms suddenly encircled him, pinning him to the form behind him and giving him an odd sense of security. Just like the way his father used to hold him when he had had nightmares; his father had held him and whispered sweet nothings into his ear to soothe and calm him. But this was different. Those arms were full of love, these seemed to be full of hate…..hate and brooding anger.

Ardeth shuddered violently and the pain made him gasp and throw his head to side and fling his arms out in a desperate attempt to escape from the burning sensation in his back. It felt like he was on fire. 

There was an angry exclamation above him and the bumping feeling that was under him stopped abruptly, making him go forward slightly then fall back against the person behind him. A warm hand gripped him by the neck and tipped his head up, the fingers searching around his neck for his pulse. Whoever it was found it, and noticed with apparent irritation that it was racing although weak and erratic. 

He was breathing quickly and shallow, his chest heaving with the effort, the breathing raspy in his throat. His throat was dry and hurt with every breath. His chest also hurt with every breath, almost as if his ribs were rasping together every time he lungs expanded. The world was fading again. Not that it had ever cleared up to begin with. He sunk back into the form behind him, the warmth finally getting through to his chilled body and numbing his mind. 

No! He had to stay awake! He had to find out what was going on! He had to find out why the men had attacked him, he had to find out why they had killed his horse. 

Why? What had he done?

His body protested strongly and although the teenager's will was strong it's mind and especially its body was just not strong enough to support him.

With a wispy sigh, barely audible, the teenage Med-Jai fell unconscious once again. 

**** 

Jawhar was still seething about the argument with his father, and was thinking of several different ways to make the Med-Jai teenager die slowly, when the boy in question moved slightly in front of him. 

He started and looked down at the black curled locks as the head slowly raised up of it's own accord and it's owner carefully opened it's dark eyes. The boy moaned and Jawhar felt a stab of hate and angry rush through him; how he wished that the boy would just drop dead. 

At first he didn't say anything and didn't do anything to acknowledge the presence of the boy precariously tied to him, but then the boy moaned again and started violently shaking. He was shaking so badly that he thought the boy was going to start going into convulsions or spasms. With a sudden feeling of panic, he closed his arms around the boy, lest he shake himself off the steed, and trample himself to death. 

The arms appeared to be a signal, for as soon as Jawhar had securely placed the guards around the boy's body he had gone into a seemingly spasm, but not before it appeared that he had almost sunk into the embrace. 

The boy tried to get out of his arms and the protesting body shuddered violently. Jawhar gave an angry curse and suddenly stopped the horse, forgetting about the boy tied to him; the Med-Jai's momentum almost pulling him off the back of the horse before he remembered to brace himself. He pulled the boy's head up and checked its pulse. Racing but there. Weak and erratic but there. That's all that mattered. 

The boy was still trembling but it didn't seem so marked and the boy had once again sunk back onto his chest, but he was cold. Extremely cold for someone out in the blazing hot sun - in the desert. Jawhar could feel the coldness seeping through his robes despite the sun and the heat all around him. Something was not right. 

Maybe the boy would die. Jawhar rejoiced silently and hoped it so. 

The teenager snuggled deeper into Jawhar's chest and it took all of the teenage Sami-Nhir's self-control not to push the Med-Jai teenager away. Still, he looked down at the boy with a face full of contempt and revulsion. In response, the boy's head sagged back down on his chest and his head rolled around like one once again unconscious. 

But he was still cold. And no matter how much Jawhar wished he would die, he feared his father's anger at losing the teenager. Even though he should rejoice with _its_ passing. 

"Father!" Jawhar called out and watched with hooded eyes as his father turned his steed around to regard his son.

"Yes, Jawhar?" His father's voice was cold and clipped. 

"The Med-Jai, he awoke for a moment but fell back unconscious."

"So? Can you not deal with a near-dead Med-Jai, _my son_?" The words were greeted with scornful laughter from the other men and Jawhar flushed as the words reached him. 

"Of course I can father. It's just that when he woke, he appeared to go into some type of spasm and even now, he won't stop trembling. Also, he is cold. Extremely cold father. As cold as Zora, before she succumbed to Allah."

At his son's words, Ruwaid's facial expression went from scorn and slight mirth to disbelief, concern and anger.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Are you an imbecile? Are _you_ even my SON?!?! And don't EVER mention Zora again." The leader's voice cracked like a whiplash and Jawhar cringed under it. 

"I am truly sorry father but I did not notice until he woke up. But I fear----" Here he hesitated, knowing that the words that he would utter would only make his father more angry, but honesty and loyalty made him say the suicidal words: "--- I fear, that we will lose him father, before the day is out."

"NO!" In a second, his father was beside him, anxiously feeling the teenager's pulse and touching the bad wound on his shoulder. "I cannot lose this one! This one means so much, you do not understand, how much weight rests on this one's shoulders, my son. We _cannot_ lose him."

He noticed the trembling and marked drop in body temperature. He bit his lip and cursed as another shiver racked the Med-Jai's body and murmured something unintelligently. The boy's eyes flickered beneath his closed lids and sweat beaded his brow, making his black hair stick in curled locks to his forehead. 

Quickly, he pulled out his water canteen, and wet down a rag, which he used to brush over the teenager's head and place on his lips. The boy didn't respond and Ruwaid desperately tried to dribble some water down the boy's throat. 

Thankfully, Ardeth took some water in but not near enough to sustain him. After about five minutes of unsuccessfully trying to force the boy to take in water, the leader of the Sami-Nhir gave up and gave the rag and water to his son.

"If he wakes up again, make sure to give him some water. Force him, if need be. We must not lose him. Do you understand Jawhar?" The man's eyes searched his sons, trying to see if his son had come to the understanding that was so clear to him. He was meet with clouded, puzzled eyes. 

Jawhar didn't understand. Surely, the Med-Jai were evil and should be destroyed, slaughtered even. But he replied, "Yes father. I understand." Despite the fact that they had given the boy water, the trembling was growing even more severe and they could hear him rasping with each breath he took. "Father, about the trembling?" he questioned.

"Here." The leader took out a heavy cloak, normally used while protecting ones self from a heavy sandstorm, and gave it to Jawhar. "Put it on him. It should warm him up."

He didn't wait to see if his son would do what he was told, but wheeled his mount around and flung back over his shoulder, "Call me if it gets any worse."

Jawhar nodded briefly in consent and busied himself with putting the boy into the cloak and tying him more efficiently to him, so that the teenager could absorb most of his body heat. 

Despite all this, Jawhar still believed that with the way the boy was going, he was going to die before the sun had set. 

**** ****

Expect another update next Friday. I've got a schedule done up. Every Friday without fail, you people out there will get an update. I promise.

Keep reviewing! You people are angels, i swear it!


	4. Message in blood

**I got one review! I got one review!! YAY!! Thanks soo much Karri. You made my day! *huggies***

Well, i hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter before this one.......u did read it right? Oh well, this one prolly won't make much sense if u didn't!

**** 

Shahin took one more look around him at the slowly waking up camp as he saddled up his horse. He would be glad to be out of here. Just being so near the Med-Jai made his skin crawl.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the tent that held the elders in a council. Hashim was in there, no doubt talking about conquering neighbouring villages and slaughtering innocents. Shahin grinned madly as he thought about what was happening to Hashim's son as Hashim himself, sat comfortably inside a tent discussing petty affairs. 

Oh, it would be so easy to chuck a stick of dynamite into the tent, hopefully killing all the elders and delivering a blow that even the Med-Jai would find hard to recover from. But he had been given his orders and he would not waver from them. 

He had been told to enter the camp disguised as a Med-Jai. Seek out information that might help the Sami-Nhir destroy them, and find a way to compromise the Med-Jai. And then leave. He had done that. He had found out about Ardeth's coming of age hunt, and realising how vulnerable the child would be, he had sent out word to his comrades in arms, virtually laying the trap that would fell the stinking Med-Jai beast. 

The dynamite would have to wait. Soon, soon the time would come where Shahin would have the almighty Med-Jai leader, Hashim himself, begging on his knees, grovelling for mercy. 

The time was coming where the Med-Jai were going to pay for everything they had done to the Sami-Nhir tribe. And more.

**** 

Abel sighed heavily again and her shoulders slumped even further as if the weight of the world rested upon them. The nervous, anxious, edgy feeling had passed but was now replaced with a leaden, sunken, uneasy feeling that made her feel nauseous. 

She couldn't stand it any longer. Even though it had only been 2 days since her child had left the camp, something felt horribly wrong. Something was out of place. 

She tossed her long, silken, black hair over her shoulder and unwrapped her arms from around her waist. She would tell Hashim as soon as he got out of the meeting her feelings and maybe she would beg him to go out into the desert and seek out their son. Even if he couldn't do it, perhaps he could send one of the younger Med-Jai warriors out to track Ardeth. If something was wrong, then it would confirm her worst fears and hopefully they would've found out soon enough to prevent anything really bad happening, but if nothing was wrong, then no harm would come of it and a mother's worries would unduly rested. 

She brushed her hand over her forehead, where she suddenly realised that she had been sweating even in the brisk air of the desert morning. Making up her mind, she hesitantly stepped out of the tent and walked jerkily along the desert track to the elder's tent.

She saw Shahin saddling up his horse and she gave him a quick nod, a wave and a wan smile. He looked back at her and smiled but the warmth never reached his eyes or smile. There was something about that man that made Abel uneasy. 

Maybe she was just paranoid. 

Maybe not……………

She would find out soon enough.

**** 

The sun was high in the sky when Ruwaid spied the oasis. Sighing with relief he turned his horse around and galloped back to his son, who rigidly held the Med-Jai child close against him. 

"How is he? Has he gotten any worse?"

Jawhar looked up into his father's eyes, his hate for the Med-Jai quickly erasing itself. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?"

"Well, he's not having anymore spasms, father, and he's not freezing anymore."

"Well, then? What's so wrong about that??" Ruwaid snapped at his son impatiently.

"He's burning up now. I think that his wounds have been infected and he's contracted a fever."

Ruwaid blinked in amazement and moved closer to get a better look at the Med-Jai child. "So quickly? His wounds got infected so quickly??"

"Well, his wounds are pretty bad and he was rolled through the sand for a fair while and then put over this horse. I would've been amazed if he didn't get an infection. But if he continues in this way, we will definitely loose him before the moon rises." Jawhar said smugly and hoped like hell that his father would just absentmindedly nod his head and let the boy die.

Contrarily, to his wishes, Ruwaid scowled and snarled, "He will not be let out of this life so easily. The oasis is up ahead, we'll camp there the night and after his fever breaks we will continue to our camp."

Jawhar managed to control his bubbling anger and in his best whiney voice said, "But father!! Wouldn't it just be easier to let him die? The son of the leader of the Med-Jai? Hashim would be devastated and then he and the order beneath him would crumble. The Med-Jai might not regain their feet for decades!!"

Ruwaid made to look like he was about to make a fiery reply, but his shoulders suddenly slumped and he sighed deeply. Without meeting his son's eyes he tiredly replied, "Jawhar, my son. There are just some things you cannot fathom. This matter does not concern you. Just remember your sister, Emira. There are some things worse then death. Just follow my orders."

His father's sudden change of attitude left the Sami-Nhir youngster astounded and silent. Maybe there were things that he just would not understand. But he understood about his sister and things being worse then death. 

He sighed as his father left his side and straightened the Med-Jai teenager against him and held him close. After his father's soliloquy he would not let the boy die. His father was right. The Med-Jai didn't deserve to get out of this life that easily.

He would leave it begging and pleading for mercy and death.

**** 

Shahin straightened atop his horse and surveyed the Med-Jai camp below him before turning around suddenly and galloping off. His horse panted as it's hooves thudded into the sand and took it further away from the Med-Jai cesspit. Shahin didn't even look back but his smile of vicious malevolence expressed his thoughts easily enough.

He spotted the carcass of the dead horse after about 3 hours of solid riding. The Med-Jai would not start looking until the week was up and the Med-Jai teenager was discovered missing. By then all that would be left of the horse would be the bleached, skin-pecked, white bones of the horse. 

And a message written cruelly written in blood. 

The blood of Ardeth Bay.

Shahin let loose a wild ululation full of loathing and contempt for the Med-Jai while expressing joy and wonder of the aforesaid teenager's capture.

Indeed, the time had come. The Sami-Nhir would rise up and wreak vengeance upon those it had come to loathe. 

The Med-Jai would fall.

**** 

Jawhar sighed in relief as his feet thudded onto the golden, pale sand of the oasis. He wiped his brow and pushed back his hood. 

His long, light brown hair fell in curly waves onto his shoulder, the ends bleached by the sun an even lighter brown, flecks of blonde shining through. At the moment, his hair was ruffled and plastered to his forehead with sweat. His pale blue, almost grey eyes took in the oasis around him, eying the water with obvious satisfaction before turning back onto the figure still slumped on the back of his horse.

With rigid hands he gently took the teenager under his armpits and hauled him off the back of the horse. His dappled brown horse stamped and snorted nervously as it smelt the blood from the teenager. Jawhar whispered calming words to the horse in an effort to calm it, another trampling would kill the Med-Jai child for sure.

He lifted the Med-Jai across his shoulder and clasped his hands firmly, locking the Med-Jai in place. He walked smoothly across the sand, taking care not to jolt the boy anymore then was necessary. 

It would not do to have the boy die suddenly on him. His father would be _furious_.

He laid the boy on the sand, cradling his head for a second before taking off his robe and placing under the boy's head. His wavy, black hair settling around his features, making them less harsh. The boy was absolutely covered in blood the red smears on his face, tinting his lips and cheeks. His black tunic and robe was slick and glistened in the sun with all the blood covering it. 

Jawhar made sure the boy wouldn't choke on his own tongue, despite desperately wishing that the boy _would_ choke. After everything was certain that the boy wouldn't suddenly die, Jawhar stepped back and looked at the thing he hated most in the world. 

He didn't see a defenceless, wounded child. He saw a murdering, despicable, Med-Jai rapist and torturer.

Maybe his invisible aura of solid hate affected the boy, because Ardeth moved slightly in the sand and groaned softly. 

Jawhar was treated to the blackest of black eyes, looking straight into his own, the owner's eyes glazed and dull with pain and unconsciousness before the Med-Jai slowly closed them. The child lifted his hand slowly and his fingers twitched, the desperate act of a child just wanting to be held, loved and comforted. His parched lips formed the word, "Father……." Before the Med-Jai teenager lapsed once more back into unconsciousness. 

Jawhar didn't wait any longer but fled to the healer's horse, his light brown hair streaming behind him as he ran to get the healer. 

The boy was burning up. 

**** 

Abel waited impatiently and watched the meeting tent solidly. She was waiting for her husband to emerge so that she could tell him of her fears. She looked at the sun and was surprised to see how far the shining orb had risen, showing that she had been waiting for around 3 hours. Another hour passed before the tent flap was thrown upon and Hashim strode out, his smile wide and infectious. 

Abel didn't wait like a good Med-Jai wife should but ran out to meet her husband, her expression finally breaking out of it's stoic shell into apprehension mixed with fear.

"Wife! What is the matter?" Hashim asked urgently as Abel threw herself into his arms.

"Hashim!! Something is wrong with Ardeth! Something is very, very wrong!" Abel couldn't help herself and started sobbing into her husbands comforting robes. 

"Calm yourself Abel! How can there be anything wrong with our son? I'm sure he is perfectly fun and out having fun." He tried to reassure her but something niggled in his mind. He ignored the niggling feeling and concentrated on making himself believe that everything was fine. 

"But Hashim!! There must be something wrong! Why else would I be feeling like this?" Abel clutched the robes tightly, her knuckles turning white beneath pressure.

"You're just worried. It's virtually the first time that we've let him step outside the camp without a bodyguard or watcher. But you know that we have to start trusting him. He told us that himself. You know that we can't hold onto him forever. One day, he will have to command this whole tribe and keep the traditional way. That will be hard enough. He need not worry about over-protective parents." Hashim tried to calm down his wife, talking in a soothing voice and running his rough, calloused hands through her soft, silky hair. 

"Hashim. Can't we at least send out a scout to make sure that he is alright?" Abel hiccupped softly as she got her emotions under control. 

Hashim thought about it and said, "No. We must learn to trust him. Look, I'm sure he'll be alright. Abel……." With this he turned his wife to face him and put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Abel……..I'm sure that he'll be fine. He is our son. He will be the leader of the Med-Jai. There is nothing to worry about."

Abel turned away, he eyes scanning the desert horizon, worry still evident in posture. "I just don't think I can handle it if anything happens to him, that's all Hashim."

Hashim stepped forward and gently kissed the top of his wife's head. "I know. I know. Trust me, I know. How about this? We give him his week and then if he has not returned by then, I'll turn out the whole tribe to search for him. How's that?"

Abel trembled suddenly, like a leaf caught in a gale. She dropped her head and whispered, "I just hope that it's not too little too late."

**** 

**Sorry, that was a pointless chapter but i had to do it to try and set the scene. You know, full out the other characters? No? *sigh* I"m sorry, this story is turning out really crap. I'm beginning to wish i'd never written it.......Its so boring and drawn out........*sigh* DAMMIT!! ARGH!! Its all beacuse of stupid writer's block and stress from school.**

I failed another math's test for those that want to know.....*sigh* *burst out crying* I CAN'T TAKE IT!!


	5. A white lie told

**Wow! 8 reviews!! Thats bloody awesome!! Compared to 1 I had last week! You people must be feeling generous or something!! Thankyou so so much!! Okay, replies. Skip what doesn't relate to you or just read them anyway! Sorry, that i didn't upload Friday, but for some reason it just wouldn't upload. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Kathy: Don't worry, I will continue it. Despite everything, every Friday, I'm going to _try_ and upload a chapter and write more. So far, its working!

**MedjaiAngel:** Thanks for the compliment! *blushes* Don't worry, i'm sorry too. Having boyfriend troubles as well *sigh* Well, my English teacher hates me.....

**Deana:** Hey! Nice to see you back! I love your reviews! If i had enough time i'd read your new stories too, but its me just stressing out...I promise i'll read them in the hollies, how bout that? Your stories are pretty detailed too....If you want detail, you _have_ to read, "Snow Falling On Cedars" by David Gutterson. 5 pages on how a forest looks....

**Freakizimi:** Ditto above!My mums getting better, still grumpy but shes working and driving a car now! I got 54% in my maths and passed by Bio so its getting better! Thanks!

**Mommints:** You're back too! It's like a school reunion! All me fave reviewers are back! I love all you guys! Thanks for your helpful advice on RL! And yes! I _do_ have an outline for this story.(despite the fact it appears to just be cruising along...) I spent like a week before i started, writing out a plan and i'm refining it everyday. Heres a tip: Watch Shahin, _very_ closely. Breath in, breath out. Haha! Well, i shouldn't stop breathing anytime soon!

**Imhoteps Lover:** I think maths teachers all over the world get together and make up the weirdest stuff possible just to torture us students. Thanks for the compliment! *blushes*

**Trinitytheshedevil:** Hey! Your name reminds me of Trinity off da Matrix! Sorry, had to say that, i'm listening to the 2nd Albulm as i type. AND i HAVE read some of your stories! And they ARE NOT boring! I LOVE lotr! I have a lotr story but its basically just toilet humour. I hate writers block. Ever since i started doing yr12 english essays, the damn thing traps me all the time.

**Nakhti:** I do like horses! Next time I go up to my boyfriends farm i'm going horseriding! I didn't delight in his pain! *thinks* In fact, i didn't really feel anything when i was writing his demise....Strange that...Bedioun don't hunt? Ohk. Well, *koffkoff* This is a Roz story and in Roz stories, things NEVER tend to add up! Humour me and just pretend that this is some magical world where things just happen....cause....they....do? (Or cause Roz is just too stupid to properly research her story.) I had to think up a reason for Ardeth going out of the village, alone, and as a youth so i just came up with that. Trust me, i've thought of the relations between Ardeth/Jawhar/Hashim/Shahin. Ardeth doesn't really need to learn from his hunt....that was just like a coathanger to hang the story on, just to get it started. Sort of like, "Once upon a time..." This story doesn't relate at all to the films, hes like 30 there and here hes 18. Hes just a boy. Oh ho! You'll see the origin for hate soon enough....hahaha! The chapters didn't have anything major happening in them, but i wrote them so that you could get an insight into my 2nd characters mind. To get to know them and predict how they'd act. Uhm, i don't like twisted rage...And i'm not going to kill off his daddy here. Maybe later though.....hehehe....

**Sirithiliel:** Thanks! I'm afraid i'm going to have to say, no. He doesn't meet up with Rick in this story. According to the movie, they meet for the first time IN the movie, so its a bit strange if they meet and Ardeth is 18 (considering they're like 30 in the movie.) For stories that aren't romance but have Ardeth Bay? Well, theres all of Deana's stories. They're like angsty, action, lets-see-how-many-different-ways-we-can-hurt-Ardeth stories, AND they have Rick in them too! Bonus! And ribbetfrog. He has little Ardeth spoofs that are quite funny. Check them out too! Hope that helped! Have fun reading!

*** 

Jawhar stood beside his father as he watched the Healer tend to the Med-Jai. After what seemed ages but in reality was only a couple of hours, the Healer stood up and dusted off his hands.

"How is he?" Ruwaid asked anxiously.

The Healer looked up, his grim, sun-tanned face, splitting into a huge grin. "By sunrise tomorrow, he will be as good as new. I dressed his wound, and cleaned it and gave him some fluids and a concoction that should help counter-act the fever. He had a high temperature, but I think it was mainly because his body went into shock, being overloaded with all the pain and infection."

"So he will be fine?" Ruwaid asked again.

The Healer rolled his eyes, "Yes, he will be fine. I've also given him a sleeping draught so his body can rest itself and heal. Don't disturb him tonight and he will be fine tomorrow."

"Good." Ruwaid nodded his head in satisfaction. "Tomorrow is when the real work starts then."

The Healer bowed slightly to the chief and then left, collecting his things while leaving.

"Father? What is going to happen tomorrow?" Jawhar questioned.

Ruwaid half shrugged his shoulders and rolled out a rug near the sleeping boy. "Tomorrow, we continue to head to our camp. There is no point in wasting a good horse on the scum, so we'll make him walk the rest of the way."

"The whole way?!?" Jawhar asked incredously. "That's a long way father. He might not make it."

Ruwaid stretched out and patted the sand next to him, indicating for his son to lay down beside him. Jawhar complied and Ruwaid continued. "He will make it, because we're going to make him. He is a strong boy, you saw him on his horse and him hunting. He isn't the leader's son for nothing."

Jawhar thought this over and slowly nodded reluctantly. "Uhm, father. This might sound like a stupid question, but what is his name? I know that he is Hashim's son, but what is his name? I've only heard derogative names for him." Jawhar wouldn't look at his father's eyes for embarrassment. 

Ruwaid laughed a deep, throaty laugh. "His name is Ardeth Bay."

"Ardeth Bay." Jawhar savoured the words, trying them out on his tongue. "Ardeth Bay. Ardeth Bay, son of Hashim, leader of the Med-Jai, captured by the Sami-Nhir. Later found dead."

Ruwaid's laughter echoed throughout the wadi.

**** 

He was almost there. Shahin could see the faint glow emanating from the campfires of the Sami-Nhir just on the horizon. He had been riding hard all day long; the Sami-Nhir had made good time. The sun was just beginning to set but he was almost there.

Two hours later, saw a dusty Shahin riding into the oasis, a triumphant smile on his face and en evil glint in his eye. His horse stood there panting and stamping about impatiently. The smell of victory was easily smelt upon the air and it was making the large animal edgy. 

He was meet by Mikail, the large man striding along the sand, his grey robe dragging in the dust behind him. Mikail was 2nd in charge, the leader of the men and obeyed orders only from Ruwaid and occasionally Jawhar. Unbeknown to Shahin, Mikail had been the one that had wounded Ardeth, his arrow the one piercing the boy's shoulder and causing him all pain and troubles. 

"How was your trip?" Mikail inquired politely as he held the horse's halter to calm him down. He rubbed down the mammal's velvety nose as it slowly stopped fidgeting around. 

"It was boring." Shahin stated coldly but continued in a warmer voice, "I saw the remains of your work about 7 hours away from here. By the time the Med-Jai send out search parties for their precious son, the stallion will be nothing but sun-bleached, white bones. Oh, and they'll find the letter."

"Ah, yes. The letter. We had no pen, and there was lots of blood lying around, so we decided to make use of it." Mikail grinned uncharacteristically.

"Yes. It was a good idea. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if the jackal's eat it as well."

"Then, the Med-Jai will just have to find out about their son, the hard way." Shahin crackled insanely, "Yes, and the hard way is always the most interesting to observe."

Mikail nodded reluctantly. There was something about Shahin, that seemed not quite…….right. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Shahin seemed just a little bit…..off. Strange. Myabe that was because he didn't know him that well. He had known most of the Sami-Nhir warriors ever since they had come of age, but Shahin had joined the tribe only about 6 months ago and he was still settling in and Mikail was still getting used to him. He shook his head and concentrated on what the man in question was saying next.

"Can I see _our_ prize?" Shahin savouring and emphasising the word 'our'.

"Sure thing." Mikail gave the horse to a warrior standing near by and led the way to where the boy lay sleeping. "At the moment, the chief and his son are keeping watch over Bay as he recovers from his wound."

"His wound?"

"Yes, his wound."

"As far as I'm aware, he was unwounded."

"Ah, yes. I'm afraid you haven't heard of his little unfortunate almost escape."

"He almost escaped?!?!"

"Yes."

"I TELL YOU EVERYTHING!! And you still almost SCREW it UP?!?! What happened? Everything was right there for you! He was virtually unarmed and he had no bodyguards. He had no one to watch him. He would have been weak from hunger. What else did you want? I'm afraid I couldn't have made it any easier for you, unless I killed him myself!!" Shahin got a bit carried away, waving his arms around for emphasis and not even noticing the dark expression that Mikail's face had taken. 

"You failed to tell us about his horse." Mikail's voice was dangerously monotone and soft. It carried a lethal edge to it, which could in reality become a sharp, metal lethal edge aimed at Shahin's throat.

Shahin realized this and lowered his arms, gulped nervously and looked at the sand. "I am sorry Mikail. I had indeed forgotten about the horse."

"It runs like the wind itself."

"Yes, it does."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"It must have slipped my mind."

"Be careful where you walk, Shahin my friend. The road you choose to walk can be extremely slippery at times."

Was it his imagination or did some expression seem to cross Shahin's face at that phrase? Something between anger, fear and contempt? Mikail dismissed it from his mind, turned his back and continued to lead Shahin on. 

Behind him, Shahin kicked the sand and whispered menacingly, "You have no idea, Mikail, my _dear friend."_

**** 

Abel watched as the sun went down. One day down, only 4 more to go. The feeling hadn't gone away all day. It had just dimmed but sat like a lead weight in her stomach, still making her feel nauseous and ill. 

Hashim watched her concernedly from his place across the table. Her face was drawn and pale and her eyes were dull. She wasn't eating but just played with her food, moving it around her plate until it became a mash of unidentifiable gunk. 

"Abel, you must eat. Abel? Abel!!" He had to say her name several times before her head jerked up, and her eyes spun around to focus on his face. 

"Hashim?"

"Yes Abel?"

"What did you just say?" Abel had been daydreaming or had just zoned out, her thoughts and fears situated miles away from the table they were currently sitting on. 

Hashim sighed and repeated his command. "You must eat."

"I have been eating." The argument was softly spoken, not containing any of the fire that the old Abel might've thrown at him.

"You are not eating, wife."

"I am too."

"Two bites of that, does not classify as eating."

"Sorry Hashim. I was just thinking about other things."

Hashim sighed again and passed his hand wearily over his eyes. "Still worrying about Ardeth?"

"Yes."

The silence went on a bit longer then expected until Abel unexpectantly broke it with:

"I saw Shahin leave the camp today."

Hashim showed no surprise, he had known that Shahin was going to leave the camp, in fact, he had been the one that had told Shahin to leave, giving him an assignment to carry out. Hmm, he could use Shahin's departure as an advantage against Abel's worries.

"Yes. It was I that told Shahin to leave. After you were so worried this morning, I sent him out after Ardeth, to see if our son is alright." Hashim lied easily.

"You did?" Surprise tinted Abel's face. "But what about what you said? About Ardeth's independence and giving him a week?"

"Well, you seemed so worried and stressed that I gave in." The lies were coming easier now.

"Oh. Thank Allah. Thankyou Hashim. You have no idea how much that eases me." It was true. Abel looked a lot happier and lot less stressed now that she thought someone was going out after her son. It was amazing how much good a little white lie could do.

Oh, how wrong could Hashim have been?

**** 

Ardeth awoke to a strange place, the outlines of people still fuzzy and his head pounding with an Allah-sized headache. He closed his eyes and wished that his headache would just go away, where to an extent it did after a couple of minutes. After the mental pain went away, he was struck by the fire in his shoulder. It was ached and felt like someone had poured acid into the wound. Unable to help himself, he groaned and tried to move his body into a position that would be more comfortable on his shoulder and offer less pain. 

A hand rested itself upon his forehead before it was snatched away and angry, muttered words were spoken. After a while, Ardeth decided to open his eyes again, and despite the fact that his eyelids seemed to way a tonne and his eyelashes were glued together, he managed to finally force them open using what little strength he had.

As soon as they were open, he was struck by the brightness of his surroundings but his body didn't have the energy to compensate for this fact and his pupils remained hugely dilated.

A fuzzy indistinct hand shape floated towards him and he caught a whiff of a foul smelling liquid before someone or something forced some of the liquid into his mouth. He didn't want to take it, it smelt foul, made his mouth tingle and he knew from the messages his stomach was telling his brain, that his stomach would not accept ANYTHING at the moment. Despite all this, the person didn't pay any attention to his weak attempts to get away and forced his mouth shut and held his nose tight. Another hand appeared out of nowhere and massaged his throat giving him no choice but to swallow the foul liquid.

Ardeth could feel it travelling all the way down to his stomach. As soon as he felt the liquid hit his stomach lining his stomach rebelled instantly and the Med-Jai found himself vomiting and retching onto the sand.

I told you so. It was the last thought that Ardeth could remember and the last sight he saw was his own black bile before he passed out. 

**** 

Jawhar gritted his teeth in anger as the Med-Jai child weakly tried to refuse taking his medicine. His anger making him slightly more rough then necessary, he shoved the liquid in the boy's mouth and watched in satisfaction as he forced the boy to swallow the liquid. It smelt foul, he had to agree with that. 

Seconds later, Jawhar's anger increased tenfold as he found himself covered in Med-Jai vomit. He just managed to keep himself under control but found to his surprise that he was shaking under the emotion of his angry feelings.

"HEALER!" Jawhar yelled, losing all remaining patience as the boy passed out.

The Healer was quick in arriving, noticing the chief's son's anger. "Yes Jawhar?"

"The Med-Jai woke up but wouldn't take his medicine as you instructed me to give him. I gave it to him anyway and he chucked it back up all over me." Jawhar ground out through clenched teeth. 

The Healer had to stop himself from letting a grin play about his lips. "Ah yes. I thought that might happen. You go wash yourself up and get yourself cleaned up and I will deal with the child."

Jawhar glowered for a minute longer then necessary, trying to impress on the Healer how unhappy he was with the whole situation before giving up and heading resignedly to the watering hole. 

"Stupid Med-Jai child. Devil spawn of that cursed evil race. Allah should've ground them to dust after he realised what type of evil he had unleashed on his land. Sons of the jackals whose mothers were the vultures that pecked out the eyes of Osiris himself………Not worth even the scum that is found under the rocks in the cursed oasis of Abhel Share and…….." the muttered curses followed the Sami-Nhir boy all the way to the water.

The Healer allowed himself a small smile as he watched the technicoloured boy grumble while walking to the oasis. His face turned grim and dark as he turned to his charge. He placed his hand on the boy's forehead and checked his breathing. He lifted the child's eyelid and peered into the glazed dark eyes before once more placing his hand on the child's chest to feel the strained pumping of his lungs.

"Well now, child. You seem to be going pretty well. Too bad you had to throw up all over Jawhar. He won't forgive you in a hurry. Not that he was going to be nice to you when you woke up anyway." The Healer murmured softy to the boy while his external examination worked its way up to the injured shoulder.

"Hmm, it seems that you're shoulder is healing quickly and rapidly. There seems to be no infection and the wound doesn't seem to be inflamed but I do see a bit of pinkish and detect some heat around the cut itself. This isn't unusual, after all, your body has gone through a lot. I'll put some herbs and place a poultice on the wound and bind it up again." The Healer had gotten into the habit of muttering to himself while tending his patients and it annoyed his conscious patients to no end. To the people watching while he tending his unconscious patients it was quite……..disconcerting. 

"You fever has dropped quite a bit. That is good. I feel, that you will be back to normal, or quite close to whatever normal can be in these circumstance, the next time you awake fully, young one." With this, the Healer dropped his head and a sad look lined his eyes. 

"I fear, that this will only be the first out of many times that I will treat your injuries while you stay in our camp. Why must your tribe have done such a hateful thing? I'm afraid that our chief will take out his anger and thirst for revenge upon you. Sometimes to be born in the wrong place or to be born to the wrong people is the worse punishment that Allah can bestow upon us mortals." The Healer sighed, and suddenly looked older then his years. "Rest in peace, young one. For once you awake, there will be no peace."

*** 

**So there, another apparently boring chapter with no impetus, but i mean, Ardeth is severely injured. I can't exactly just make him jump and dance the Sabre Dance now, can I? Can you pick whats gonig to happen? Hehehe! And my life is slowly, oh so slowly, destressing. But i'm having boyfriend troubles but i sort of let it out at school... **


	6. The beginning of the end

**Well! 3 reviews!! Thats pretty good! That's more normal! This fandom is soo much different to the other ones i've done, but my review rate is pretty good! Thanks guys! At least, they'll only be a short fwd!**

Kathy:Yeah, well no! I don't think i'd get anymore reviews, this story is pretty narrow but ff.net is screwing around a bit lately huh?

**Deana:**You are such an angel! An angel! *reads the review* Oh......*swears loudly* I completely forgot about his blood loss! ARGH! I always forget the nitty gritty details! Damn! Well, can u just pretend he's superman and went fwd in time and had a blood transfusion? *winces* I guess not.

**Sirithiel:** You're welcome! After i finish this story i'm going to do a serious Aragorn and Legolas one when they were younger......one day.....

**** 

Shahin watched Ardeth Bay with veiled eyes as he waited for the teenager to wake up. He didn't know for long he had waited for this moment to arrive. He had lost count many, many, years ago. He had been born just for this purpose. It had been indoctrinated into him from his 4th birthday. 

And he would fulfil his destiny and return a hero to his tribe. 

An evil light played around the man's face and seemed to make his light ashy brown hair sparkle with an iridescent darkness. His pale green eyes revealed nothing and stared with intense hatred at the boy lying still before him. 

He noted with distaste the remains of vomit on the teenager's black robe and with revulsion scuffed his boots in the teenager's direction, sand dusting the Med-Jai's robes before he settled down onto sitting on his heels.

He had only been sitting in this position for around ½ an hour before his vigil was rewarded with a painful sigh and a groan from the limp, black-robed figure. He turned his dead green eyes upon the boy's face and watched with an impassive face as the Med-Jai opened his eyes and locked his black eyes onto his green ones.

The boy croaked but Shahin didn't say anything, lean forward or respond in anyway. Bay ran his tongue quickly over his chapped, dry lips and tried again.

"Where am I?"

Shahin considered his options while his face remained expressionless and his eyes veiled. After a while, he noticed the boy about to repeat his question so he answered in a toneless voice, the hatred barely concealed underneath it:

"You are at the beginning of the end."

Before he got up and walked away without a backward glance.

**** 

Ruwaid looked up from the map that he was consulting with Mikail when he noticed the shadowy figure coming towards him with deliberation. 

"Mikail, who is that?"

Mikail looked up from where his finger rested on the map, took in the figure with a frown and returned to what he was doing while muttering, "Shahin."

"Shahin? Who's that?"

"The person that is walking towards us." Mikail answered with blinding obviousness.

Ruwaid rolled his eyes and replied, "I _know that_ Mikail. How come I haven't seen him before?"

Mikail shrugged his shoulders while still poring over the map, "He only just joined a couple of months ago. He was eager to begin his work so we put him pretty much straight into espionage work and he went into the Med-Jai camp. He was the one that was leaking us the information that let us capture Bay. Its kinda strange actually. It was like he was born a spy, he's got like these natural born talents. Fitted in perfect." At this Mikail looked up to view his chief's expression.

"Hmmm. I see." Ruwaid rubbed the stubble on his chin, his beard not quite long enough to stroke. 

The figure in question had reached where the two men stood and bowed respectively from a respectful distance from them.

"Can I speak my lords?" The man asked.

Ruwaid nodded graciously and gestured for the man to come into their space, "Enter friend. Tell us of the news of the sleeping Med-Jai camp. Tell us what is bothering you."

Shahin entered and without a second glance at Mikail proceeded to tell Ruwaid all he wished to know. 

Mikail frowned slightly. The closer he got to Shahin, the more……strange…..the man felt. He shrugged again and went back to his navigation, half an ear on the conversation being played out around him. Who was he to judge a man? To tell whether he was good or bad? Only Allah could do that, only he could see into a man's heart and proclaim him worthy. Maybe when they had completed this task, Allah would look on them more kindly. 

"The Med-Jai has awoken. I believe that he is completely conscious."

"That's good. Do you think that we'll be able to get under way today?"

"It is not really my place to say, after all, that is the Healer's domain. But it is my considered opinion that the Med-Jai will be able to travel today. If he is not ready, then we shall make him ready."

"Hmmm yes. Shahin? That is your name is it not?"

"Yes, my Lord, that is my name."

"You have done commendable work. Your work in the field, especially while infiltrating the Med-Jai camp is astounding and admirable. You have the thanks of your chief." Ruwaid spoke formally and inclined his head slightly to the man standing in front of him.

Shahin kept his face neutral but inwardly he was raging and grinning insanely. 'Your chief' indeed, he thought. If only you knew. If only you knew what was going on. All this he kept secret and hidden. Instead he replied with false sincerity squeezed into his voice:

"Thankyou M'Lord. Now if you wish to follow me to see the Med-Jai?" He bowed once again and withdrew a polite distance away and gestured for Ruwaid to follow.

"Mikail!" Ruwaid's sharp voice cut through the man's thoughts and the man in question looked up.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Stay here. Map out our way home. We want the most quickest, easiest and fastest route home. When my son returns from wherever he is loafing about, tell him where I am and send him to me. Understand?"

"Yes, my Lord. He will be told."

"Good. I will return soon anyway."

With this final commandment, the chief of the Sami-Nhir turned away to follow Shahin across the sand to look at the Med-Jai. The journey was completed in silence, strained and full of tension. 

Ruwaid was glad for once when the black robed figure swam into view. He saw the Healer bending over the Med-Jai child and doing medicinal……..stuff. He stopped right in front of the child and drew in a breath at what he saw.

Bay looked much healthier and better then the night before. The night before it had looked like the boy wasn't even going to make but now…….

Now, Ruwaid realised just how strong the Med-Jai tribe was. The reason why they dominated the sand. Not because the other tribes respected them, but because they had the power. They were powerful and ruled the sands with an iron fist. Those that did not bow down were mown down. Even those that were innocent were taken as sacrifices and used to make an example of. 

Ruwaid knew this from first hand experience. The sight before him only strengthened his perceptions of the Med-Jai.

The child was wide awake, his dark brown/black eyes sparkling with defiance, only a hint of pain visible in the irises. His head was held high with pride and it was ironic that his tilting of his head highlighted the black tattoos upon his cheeks. 

The tattoos that marked him as Hashim's son. The heir to the leader of the tribes. The tattoos that meant virtual royalty amongst the Med-Jai circles. To Ruwaid, these tattoos made him a murderer. 

He could still remember the village. He had returned with the rest of the hunting party, expecting a joyous return. He remembered the grey desolation of the place. He remembered the red blood spilt crimson upon the sands. He remembered the bitter-sweet, charred smell of burnt human bodies. He could still taste the grit and dust in his mouth. He could still feel the smoke stinging his eyes. 

He could still remember finding Zora. Finding his wife. Her face was swollen and pale and her dress was torn and ripped. Her eyes were open, terror and fear etched into every line of her face. She was cold. Oh! So cold. Her big, dark, bottomless, black eyes were wide open, staring into nothing. Ruwaid had fallen to the ground on his knees, black bile rising up his throat as he cradled her head. Tears fell from his eyes and ran down her bruised face. Her beautiful pale face. Her lips were blood red and had a trickle of blood running out the side of it. Her luscious lips which he would never again be able to kiss. Her cold arms which would never envelope him in a warm embrace again. 

It was miracle that the fire had not devoured her. Not that that had helped her in the end. She was dead. The Med-Jai had killed her. She had died in his arms. Her eyes not even recognising him. She had choked out her last breaths and had died.

She was dead.

**Dead.**

Med-Jai had _killed_ her.

**Murderers.**

Ruwaid snapped back to reality, hatred burning hotter then ever in his eyes. This Med-Jai had killed his wife and slaughtered his village. 

No mercy. Revenge would be sweet and vengeance would be his.

**** 

Ardeth Bay woke up, asked a question, received a strange answer and was left alone. Not long after, an old man came over and tended to his wounds. Ardeth guessed correctly that he was a Healer.

While this was still going on, (the Healer had this strange habit of muttering to himself that had begun to unnerve the Med-Jai youngster), another strong set man had returned with the man that had answered his simple question with such a strange answer.

As soon as the strong man had set eyes on him, something had stolen over his face and the man was forced to close his eyes. When he reopened them, Ardeth was physically struck by how much hatred there was in their depths. 

The man stepped forward and Ardeth had to control himself, in an effort to not involuntary flinch. 

"I am Ruwaid, leader of the Sami-Nhir. You are our prisoner. You will do what we say, or we will punish you most severely. Understand?" The voice was stony and held solid ice within it. 

Ardeth was astonished but found his voice. Raising his head defiantly he said, "How dare you hold me! Do you know who I am? I am Ardeth Bay! Son of Hashim Bay - leader of the Med-Jai! My tribe will not lie around restlessly, they will hunt you down. You shall not command me for I am my own self!" Ardeth was proud of his little speech, but Ruwaid and Shahin were not impressed.

A split second later, Ardeth's head snapped around and he felt his cheek burning and with a trembling hand touched his cheek, feeling the heat there. Ruwaid lowered his hand, panting. Ardeth turned his head back to face the Sami-Nhir chief, and licked the blood that was running down his chin from a split lip. 

Ruwaid had just struck him. Ardeth hadn't been struck before in his whole, entire, sheltered life. The chief didn't say anything but Shahin didn't hold his emotions in.

As soon as Ardeth was able to clear his head and realise what had just happened, he found himself slammed into the sandy ground, a hand gripping him tightly around his throat.

Ardeth panicked and squirmed, trying to get out of the iron vice, his air being choked off slowly and painfully. 

"You filthy scum! My name is Shahin. If you try anything like that again, I will be overjoyed if I can be the one to punish you. I will enjoy making you scream Med-Jai. I will make you hurt so much that you'll wish you had never been born. I will make you plead until you wish I had ripped your voice-box out. By the time I've finished with you, you'd rather kill your own mother then do something like that again. Understand me you Med-Jai bastard?" Shahin emphasised his point by pushing the boy's head further into the sand before getting up and kicking him in the ribs.

Ardeth slowly sat up gasping and retching. One hand he used to support him, the other rubbing his throat. He had just been warned. That man was physco. Next time, he wouldn't get out of it so easily.

"I-I understand." Ardeth choked out while still massaging his throat. 

"Good. I will send my son to get you ready for the journey." Ruwaid stated coldly as he turned away.

"Journey?" Ardeth couldn't help but ask.

"Yes. Journey. We are returning to the Sami-Nhir camp, victorious." Ruwaid grinned, a grin showing all of his teeth.

Great. Fabulous. Wonderful. It couldn't get any better, Ardeth thought sourly. 

He was wrong. 

It could get better. Or a lot worse.

**** 

**Was that chapter anymore interesting? Sorry, it was a bit short and a bit late wasn't it? Sorry, sorry, sorry! Please forgive me!! *roz begs for forgiveness***


	7. The gritty walk

**Ok, this is the part where i start grovelling again. I"M SOOOO SORRY THAT I DIDN"T UPDATE LAST WEEK!! You would NOT believe how gruelling my week has been. So far, there hasn't been a night where i haven't gone to bed before midnight. On Tues, i was up till 3am studying for a chem test. So, i'm really sorry. Please forgive *grovel grovel* And wow! So many reviews! This is amazing! Ok, i'm not going to reply to everyone, just people that have questions and suggestions....so that the fwd is kept shorter, but if you want me to reply tell me in a review! *grins maniacally***

Deana: You are too kind. Reviewing all da chappies. You make me smile! Crap, his arm. Once again, i'd forgotten bout that. *sigh*

**Trin:** Dull knife? "I'll cut your heart out with a spoon!" "Why a spoon cousin?" "Cuase a spoon hurts more YOU MORON!"

**Mommints:** I'm afraid the Healer is gonna appear several more times...Are you saying i got you hooked on the first paragraph? *blinks then bursts into tears* That is the best compliment i've had yet! Eh, trust me, i'm not particulary fond of Shahin, do what you will with him. But hes a damn sight nicer then one of my OC characters called Caleb. Compared to Caleb, Shahin is a walk in the park.

**Freakizimi:**You think so? *sighs in relief* At least, someone thinks so!

**Nakhti:** First of all, sorry. Big misunderstanding. Do the sabre dance huh? *thinks and then grins* It can and WILL be done. That's a really good idea actually.......Yeah, i'm afraid i have something for eyes. Its like the first thing i notice bout people. Crows don't scare me, i love them!

**And now, another apology. I've completely screwed up the timeline in this story and since its already posted the story is now.........well.........screwed. So please, please, PLEASE, just try to go with the flow.......onwards and upwards....er...downwards...**

**** 

"Jawhar? Jawhar! JAWHAR!!!"

Jawhar grumbled as he got up from where he had been basking in the sun. "What?!?!" he snapped irritably. 

"Your father sends for you." Mikail stepped into the boy's line of vision.

"Oh." Jawhar muttered, still annoyed about having his nap interrupted, "Do you know what he wants?"

"Ah yes. The Med-Jai is awake. We are moving out of the camp in around an hour. He wants you to get the Med-Jai ready for the journey. We are crossing the sands just east of here."

"Do you think he'll make it?" Jawhar asked curiously.

"By his defiance this morning, he should make it there and back without any water before he dies. The Med-Jai are strong, it is bred into their children; and the son of the Med-Jai is no exception."

"Okay." Jawhar conceded. He got up and brushed the sand lightly off him. "Where is he?"

"Over by the west side."

"Fine. I'll go tend to him."

Mikail grinned. "Just remember, we want him alive at the end of the journey."

Jawhar grinned evilly. "I'll get him there alive but undamaged – that is something else altogether."

"Fair enough." Mikail inclined his head in agreement. 

Mikail turned and disappeared into the heat haze that was already beginning to form. 

"Trust me to get stuck looking after the _Med-Jai_." Jawhar snarled as he kicked up the sand as he walked over to where the Med-Jai lay. 

He reached the boy and with detached curiousity looked the boy over. Mikail was right. The boy looked like he could cross the Sahara. Apart from the split lip, bloody chin and bruised face the boy looked in peak condition. White bandages hid his arrow wound from the world and the boy's muscles gleamed as if oiled. 

Jawhar unwound the rope that he had picked up along the way and stepped forward, watching the Med-Jai like one who watches a wild dog while expecting it at any moment to foam at the mouth and attack. 

"My name is Jawhar." He stated coldly, as he beginning to tie a loop in the end of the rope. 

"Jawhar." The Med-Jai repeated after him, all the while looking up at him with uncomprehending eyes. "Nice to meet you Jawhar. Although the circumstances aren't all that great. My name is A—"

"Shutup!" Jawhar flung angrily at the boy, stopping Bay in the middle of his introduction. "Don't speak, filthy _Med-Jai_."

Ardeth felt his jaw sag open. Even though the men of this tribe had stalked him, chased him, assaulted him and kidnapped him he tried to be polite. 

_Okay_, he mouthed. He watched as Jawhar's face slowly crinkled up into rage. Shit. Screw it up again Bay. 

"I said, don't talk." Jawhar hissed. He had finished tying the loop in the rope and with astonishing speed flung it over the boy's head and pulled it tight. Ardeth gasped as the rope bit into the soft skin of his neck and he put his hands in front of himself to catch his fall. Jawhar darted forward and with deceptive speed, yanked Bay's hands out from under him and simultaneously flipped the boy over onto his back and slammed the boy's head into the sand, accidentally smashing it into a rock under the sand. 

Ardeth cried out as the back of his head connected with a thud on the rock. His vision blurred and he saw stars. His body relaxed as the boy lay stunned. Jawhar was surprised at the viciousness in his movements but hesitated only for a second before quickly tying the boy's hands roughly and tightly behind his back. He then pulled the unfortunate boy upright and hauled him, reeling, to his feet.

Ardeth had to swallow back the bile rising in this throat and fought to control his heaving stomach. The world spun crazily around and he nearly fell over again, only Jawhar's painful grip on his arm kept him upright. 

"Walk, Med-Jai filth." Jawhar hissed and was pleased to note the slickness at the back of the boy's head. He pushed the teenager before him, by pushing at the back of his head and a look at his palm confirmed his suspicions. It was coated lightly in a red colour. Apparently, the hit against the rock had broken the boy's skin and Bay was bleeding lightly. 

The bastard deserves it, Jawhar thought savagely as he watched the boy stumble forward. It was going to take all day for him and the prisoner to reach the other side of the wadi, let alone walk the desert. Jawhar gritted his teeth in anger. He was NOT going to take all that time to get home. Not that there was much of a home to come home to anymore.

Jawhar stepped confidently in front of the boy and giving the lead a vicious tug, started to drag the boy behind him. The sooner they got moving, the better. At least at the end of the journey, he would be able to see what would happen to Bay. It had better be good. 

Jawhar licked his lips in anticipation. 

**** 

Ardeth couldn't help but groan as he stumbled and fell to his knees. It jarred his hips and made his shoulder wound ache. Amazingly, it hadn't opened up again but the stiches put in place by the Healer had done their job and kept the skin courageously together, despite all the obstacles pitted against it. 

His head wouldn't stop throbbing, and even his bleeding lip ached incessantly. His hip felt like an elephant had sat on it, he imagined he could see the marrow in the bones oozing out between cracks of the bone itself. Well, he was almost right. A horse had sat on his hip; it seemed to have weighed about as much as an elephant. He was lucky that he hadn't broken his hip. He knew without having to look that his pelvis would be a mass of bruised flesh – already painful to the touch. 

His throat was dry and his eyes couldn't focus properly. The skin on his neck around the rope had been rubbed raw and everytime that damn boy, what was his name? Jawhar. Everytime Jawhar tugged on it, it dug deeper into his flesh. It didn't help with his hands tied behind his back – it made it almost impossible to keep his balance in the thick sand. 

What Ardeth couldn't understand was why did they want him? What could they possible want with him? Sure, he was the son of the chief but what would ANYONE want with the Med-Jai. They were a peaceful tribe. Well, peaceful to anything that didn't threaten The Creature. Although they were silent and quiet around other tribes, they respected them and didn't interfere. 

To Ardeth's knowledge, there was nothing that this tribe could see wrong with his tribe. Why did they hate the Med-Jai so much? All around him, hatred and anger flowed deeply in people's veins and thickly around them, covering the troupe in a cloak of ill-resentment. Aimed at him. 

Ardeth gulped nervously. He didn't want to know what these people were going to do to him, but he _had to know_. It wasn't usual to be shot off a horse and dragged across the desert for no apparent reason, except that you were part of the Med-Jai clan. 

The leader, Ruwaid, could only _just_ keep his emotions reined in, and his son, Jawhar, wasn't much better. Ardeth glanced up and looked more closely at his present handler. 

Jawhar didn't look much older then him, in fact, they looked the same age. Jawhar had around the same build, although he was slightly shorter and stockier. He had muscles everywhere and Ardeth could see where the veins stood out on his neck. He was wearing a tan robe; it was thick and swished along his horses flanks as he beast walked steadily onwards. His hood was currently off and the sun shone off his light brown/blonde hair. Ardeth noted without curiosity that it was long and curled down to his shoulders, much like his own black locks. 

In the split second that Ardeth watched his captor, Jawhar felt the teenager's eyes on him and whipped his head around to glare at the Med-Jai. Ardeth shivered as he found himself looking into a pair of pale, blue eyes full of hate. 

He didn't understand why someone could hate him so much. What had he done?

"On your feet, Med-Jai." The Sami-Nhir snarled and tugged viciously on the rope, forcing Ardeth to make the split second decision of having his head yanked off or getting up onto his feet. He wisely chose the latter.

He had been walked for approximately ½ an hour when his thoughts wandered back again to the people holding him captive. Ruwaid he would try not to provoke – the man obviously had his feelings buried, not so deep. Jawhar he couldn't understand. Same age but so vastly different in attitude. 

Despite all that Jawhar had done to him, Ardeth believed that he couldn't be all that bad. So he was a bit rough……….for some reason? But still, except for the hit on the head, which he had appeared surprised about, the boy hadn't really badly hurt him. 

But Shahin.

That was different. The man was obviously and plainly insane. Well, towards him anyway. Ardeth had stared into his eyes and read nothing but intense hate and the plain desire to inflict pain upon him. Ardeth had stared into his soul and seen…….nothing. **HE** was a man that he _shouldn't_ cross. The Med-Jai teenager could still feel the man's hands around his throat, blocking off his air and slowly crushing his larynx. And the fact that sickened the boy the most was, while he had been doing this, he had been _enjoying_it. 

Ardeth shivered in the flaming heat and trudged onwards. 

**** 

Ruwaid dropped back to pace his horse alongside his sons' and watched with satisfaction as the prisoner that his son held, had trouble keeping his footing and keeping up with the horses. 

"The Med-Jai giving you any trouble?" He queried.

Jawhar shook his head, his golden locks floating above his shoulders. "No. Not at all. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. He was so easy to capture, so easy to subdue. Why are people so afraid of them for?"

Mikail who had been travelling nearby overhead this conversation and intervened, "Young Jawhar. You have been lucky enough to never see them in battle. In battle they are a formidable opponent. They do not know or understand the meaning of surrender. They willingly fight to the death, for they are not afraid of their own death."

"Not to mention, they are ruthless and have no mercy." Ruwaid spat as he spoke and missed the trudging prisoner by mere centimetres. He glared at the boy for good measure and turned back to the conversation. 

"Weell……yes. Lately." Mikail reluctantly consented to that point.

"What do you mean lately?" Jawhar questioned angrily. "You say what those bastards did to our village! You saw the utter destruction! How can you say that?"

"I don't know." Mikail frowned and rubbed his chin, his brow furrowed deep in thought. "I don't know what made them do that. They were normally very…..detached from the other tribes. Isolated. Kept to themselves. I mean, how many times have you had contact with the Med-Jai?"

"The one time that they decided for no reason to attack our village and slaughter everyone inside." Jawhar said stonily and Ruwaid's eyes hardened in memory.

"From the legends and stories told to us from long ago, it just doesn't seem the Med-Jai's way. They are one of the oldest tribes in the desert, and there has NEVER been a bad story about them…..ever. I don't understand why after thousands of years they would suddenly attack our village for no reason. I was always told that it's best to know your opponent…….but I just don't understand that attack. It makes no sense."

Ruwaid was lost in his own world, memories unwontedly replaying themselves in his mind. He saw himself stepping through the village, the charred timber and thatch underneath his foot. 

Everytime he took a step, the ground beneath his boots crackled and steam rose up around him. He remembered seeing Ukal's body lying under a beam. He saw himself running over and futilely trying to lift the plank of wood off the old man. Silver tears ran down his cheeks and mixed with the ashes surrounding the body. Ukal was dead. There was a bullet wound in his chest. The old man's cloudy blue eyes were open, seeing nothing as usual. Ukal had gone blind in old age but this blindness was caused by death.

Why had they killed Ukal? He was a blind, old man. What harm could he have done. All he ever did was sit in front of his thatched hut and smoke his pipe, listening to the gossip and giving his wisdom when he was needed. 

In that case, why had they killed all the people in the village? It had been a quiet early morning. The women were washing and cooking, the girls were helping their mothers. The young boys were chasing each other through the golden sand and play-fighting with sticks. The men were away on a hunting trip. Food had been scarce and a scout had reported that there was a pack of jackals heading westbound and that the wadi up north had filled with water and the birds had migrated back to nest. If the hunt went badly then the scout had also reported that there was a herd of wild camels just to the east of the jackals. They appeared to be following one another. 

The hunt itself had been good. Spirits had been high and the party had returned with food aplenty to give to their wives. A feast had been scheduled for that night. 

Ruwaid remembered his stomach churning and feeling sick when he first noticed the smoke on the horizon. It was thick, black and oily and smoke like that could only mean one thing. Attack. He had ordered Jawhar to wait just out of sight of the village and he and some stronger warriors had ventured into the village. 

Or what was left of the village.

There had been one survivor. One. Out of all the people in the village they had left behind, the Med-Jai had let one live. 

Her name was Zen. 

She confirmed that it had been Med-Jai that had attacked the village and killed all her fellow villagers. The Med-Jai's tattoos had been the last thing that she had seen before they had taken her sight. 

She was 19. Before the attack, she had been a highly-spirited, bright young girl. Boys had lined up for her and drooled over her. She had been one of the highlights of the village. She had been best friends with Emira. 

Emira. Ruwaid's daughter and Jawhar's sister. 

Ruwaid's fist clenched and he gritted his teeth until it felt like he was going to bite through his lower jaw. He forced his thoughts away from her and tried to focus on the conversation going on around him.

"Mikail!" His voice stung like a whiplash and Mikail stopped his thinking immediately. 

"Yes Ruwaid?"

"They are murdering pigs of fatherless bastards. You do not need to understand them. Understand this. They attacked our village for no reason except to take our food. Food which we would've gladly given them, if they'd asked! They slaughter everyone including the women, girls, boys, even the babies! They even murder the harmless old men. They blind a 19 year old girl and let her live, just so that there is someone to relay the story to us. Understand that." Ruwaid's voice was emotionless and that's what scared the 2nd in command the most. 

"You are right, my Lord." Mikail bowed his head.

"They murdered our families and we WILL have our revenge." Ruwaid turned in his saddle and stared with deadened eyes at the stumbling figure and grinned maniacally.

"Oh yes. We _will_ have _our_ revenge."


	8. Home of the enemy

** So what's my excuse for not updating in ages? Well, the truth is, i don't really have one. School has been really hectic and i've had our school production but its mainly been......well.......school. I've just been so stressed that i haven't had time to write. I'm sorry. I hope you like this chappie though.**

Freakizimi:You are one of the best reviewers a person could hope for. Thanks for all your advice. I'm trying to destress but *sigh* school. Anyway, heres a chappie for you. Bout time i know.

**Nakhti:** *makes frantic silent signals* Careful! You'll give it all away! I'm not giving you anymore hints because you're getting way too close! Yeah, and the eyes.....sorry bout them, but i always show peoples expressions and emotions in their eyes. And yes, i am putting in the Sabre Dance, so that will come up!

**** 

Ardeth had never been so thirsty in his whole entire life. Sure, he lived in a desert but still……this was torture. Well, it wasn't torture, his mind reasoned with his body, but his body concluded the debate saying, "It damn well felt like it."

He had been walking for the whole day behind that damned horse, tied to that damned Jawhar with his damned hands tied behind his back and without any damn water.

Ardeth was normally a peaceful, tolerate boy who would be sad that someone had killed a jackal because it had been trying to eat him. He tried to see everyones point of view. Certainly, this irrated some of the more biased people in his village, as their thoughts ran along the lines such as, "Can't he act like a _normal_ person and be _biased for once?!?!_"

But Ardeth was that boy that every parent dreamed of. Respectful, tolerate, patient, helpful and even slightly rebellious. Parents might not admit it but it gave them pride t know that their boy was out terrorising the village _moderately_. 

Try as he might, Ardeth couldn't see the other side of the story here. He just couldn't understand why this tribe was putting him through this hell. He had never done nothing. His tribe had never done nothing either. 

But after a whole day of trudging through the desert without water had made him unnaturally bitter and angry. Why was he the only one walking? It was alright for them on the horses, they didn't have to walk. Their horses did all the work. And they had water. They made sure that he saw it. They splashed it over themselves, grinning like idiots and making obscene gestures and derogative comments towards the boy. 

Ardeth Bay, the normally peaceful boy of the Med-Jai was getting VERY angry. 

With a sigh, the boy let his head droop and as he stumbled over a small dune and the rope cruelly tore at his skin, he wished that he could just go home. 

**** 

Shahin spat resentfully from his horse once again as he surveyed the open desert in front of him.

How he longed to go home. Oh no, not home to the Shahin but Home Home. Out there, amongst the Spinifex and sand dunes, where the sun itself touched the sand in that glorious moment of time and a man walked in the horizon. Where the jackals howled mournfully at night and the moon shone brightly in the night sky. Where the stars twinkled faintly and each constellation could be easily seen and the elders sat around the fire and told stories to the youngsters about their origins and the legends connected to the very stars that had existed for countless thousands of years. 

Oh yes. He could not wait to return. But first, first, he had to accomplish this mission. To see the Med-Jai destroyed. 

Then, once they were out of the way, The Creature could be resurrected. 

Shashin turned to look at the boy behind him once again. He was glad to see that the boy was suffering immensely in the intense heat. The only reason he had kept his ripped and dusty robe was because he knew that he would wish for it fervently when the temperatures would plummet during the night. 

The man beside him, his _leader_ (Shahin spat again), had said that they'd be in the village in a couple of days, a week at the most. 

Well, not the village. The village was gone. Shahin grinned mirthlessly. That had been a good misunderstanding. It couldn't have worked out any better. The Sam-Nhie wanted to decimate the Med-Jai, and who was Shahin to stand in the way when he knew only the truth?

After all, when someone has bloodlust they will not rest until blood has been spilt. 

And there was no better blood to spill then the blood of Ardeth Bay.

**** 

Hashim watched the sun sink below the horizon and poindered if he had done the right thing.

Had he been 'right' in telling the lie to his wife? Should he have sent someone out to check on his son?

NO! Of course not! Why would anything happen to Ardeth? The boy had been out countless times before. Admittedly, he'd been in the company of friends, guards or family but still! Nothing would bother him! He had done nothing wrong.

Besides, no one would dare touch him because of the protection he was under, ebing the son of the chief of the Med-Jai. 

The Med-Jai. They had such a ferocious reputation dating back for countless centuries. Hashim grinned widely. Wouldn't everyone else love to know that life in the Med-Jai wasn't as terrifying as thought………Although, it had been scary when Ardeth and his little friends had run around the village playing pranks on anyone that was unfortunate enough to get in the way. 

Oh yes. They had been the good, old days. When Ardeth had embraced his homelife and hadn't cared about the outside world. Of course, Hashim knew that his son was going to grow up, but he hadn't expected him to grow up so soon. And so quickly. 

It seemed overnight that his son had turned from his little boy that he had known to jump into his arms every night and demand a bedtime story into a full grown man, which all the girls fawned over and fantasised. 

Oh, his son would return home safe and sound. 

He was………slighty sure of it. 

**** 

Days had passed. Ardeth was sure of that, but he wasn't sure exactly how many days had passed. Everything had just sort of blurred, blended into one another into some horrible dream, some terrible nightmare where all that filled his eyes was sand and pain. 

He had been looking forward to his hunt for so long. For ages he had sat and planned it, he had discussed it with his friends and boasted to the girls about it. And now he was on it. Well, he had been on it and now he was in the clutches of some insane tribe that wished him dead and a strange, green-eyed dude that couldn't wait to have an excuse to torture him slowly. Same diff really. 

His hands were useless. His captors hadn't bothered to loosen the knots and he couldn't feel his fingers. It was scaring him quite a bit actually. The ropes had bit cruelly into his skin and his hands were all bloody. They hadn't taken the rope off from around his neck either and his neck had been rubbed raw to the point of excruciating pain whenever he lagged behind or stumbled. He tried his hardest to do neither of the above activities but it was becoming so hard.

He was just so tired. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to the village, talk excitedly to his mother about his day, argue good-naturedly with his father and run feral around the village with his friends playing pranks on them and innocent villager bystanders. 

His mind was becoming so muddled, he couldn't think straight. The sky was blue right? Blue? 

Then why was it looking so yellowish? The air also seemed to be pretty gritty……strange that….gritty like sand….His neck was hurting, something was tugging it…He'd stopped walking…he couldn't walk any further….Why was the sky yellow?

Ardeth passed out on the sand where he had fallen, his face pressed into the sand.

He didn't hear the excited voices of his captors or them pointing and gesturing to the horizon.

Ardeth didn't notice anything.

**** 

Jawhar punched the air in delight. Yes! They had returned home!! He was so excited, he couldn't think straight. He could _just_ see the roofs of the thatched huts in the distance, hazy on the horizon.

He spurred his horse on unconsciously, his excitement seeping through to the sensitive mammal. The rope leading to his prisoner tightened suddenly and Jawhar swore loudly and stopped the horse from going any further. The boy was lagging again – what happened to the strength of the Med-Jai? Jawhar waited a couple of minutes and then without turning around started his horse on a slow walk again. Damn! The line was still taut and tight in his hand, what was taking him so long?? What now?? Jawhar turned around in his saddle, ready to taunt the boy again but his eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the black-robed figure lying unconscious on the sand, his head facedown into the sand.

He swore loudly again and jumped down from his horse.

"Oi! Wake up Med-Jai!" Jawhar with difficulty turned the boy over onto his back and slapped his face. No response. "Hey! Wake up! We're almost there!" The boy didn't even twitch. Jawhar was seized by a sudden fear and gingerly touched the boy's throat, looking for a pulse. 

For a couple of heart-stopping seconds he couldn't feel anything. The boys chest didn't appear to be moving. No movement, no heartbeat.

No. _No!_ NO NO NO!!! This couldn't be happening!! Not now!! His father would be furious! Angry! Enraged. Jawhar cringed again, memories of his last beating coming to mind. He couldn't be dead!! Where was his heartbeat?? Why was not he breathing?? Not now! NO!! Not possible! Breath, you bastard!

No movement, no heartbeat.

**** 

** Sorry, I truly don't know when my next update will be. I can't make any promises. School is getting really really tough. Sorry. And i'm really sorry that this is so short. Sorry, sorry, sorry!**


	9. The moral battle

**Hi peeps! I bet you weren't expecting another chappie so soon/late/ever, but here we are. This was mainly alreaedy written up and i'm procastinating so i don't have to study for a maths test (which i'm going to fail anyway). So yeah, i hope you like it, its a little bit longer.....**

Deana: You're such a loyal reviewer! I love you so much! *hugs*

**Nakhti:** Wow. Your reviews are so long, interesting and just downright FUNNY! I hope you prefer this update to the one you suggested! Hahaha! And yeah, you're pretty damn close to my plot/twist so i'm not giving away ANY MORE CLUES AT ALL. Goddamn all smart ppl....*goes of muttering*

**Freakizimi:** Trust me, you've been helping! I'm glad u like da story, i can't believe i've reached 50 reviews. I'm in shock. Truthfully, i didn't think it was worth 10, but there you go! i guess i'm wrong.

**author unknown:** Yeah, salt. Hmm, they also rubbed it into wounds to stop infections......and it also caused a lot of pain......*wince* i think i can incorporate that into the story somewhere.......*wince*

**Ok, now watch out. This chappie is where i stuffed up with the timeline. So if things don't seem to make sense, just try to go along with it. SOrry!**

**** 

Jawhar was panicking. This couldn't be happening! It couldn't be! But it was.........

No, it wasn't! It couldn't possibly _ever_ be happening........Right? RIGHT????

Then the boy sighed suddenly and Jawhar realised that his hands were trembling too much for his fingers to be able to take much of a pulse. He stilled his own breathing and firmly pressed his fingertips onto the boys neck and……….prayed.

There! A faint heartbeat. Jawhar sighed in relief and allowed his head to drop and wiped the sweat off his brow where it had formed when he had started panicking. 

"Don't ever do that again." He admonished the silent, still boy before pulling out his knife from his belt inside his tunic and slashing the rope that was bound around the teenager's neck. He gasped as he saw just how much damage the coarse rope had caused to the boys neck and viciously squashed a guilty feeling. 

No. He deserved it. He had slaughtered the village.

He's just a boy. How could he do such a thing?

He is a Med-Jai. He is a vicious animal who delighted in the pain he caused in the village.

How do you even know he was there? 

Because he is MED-JAI!! He wears the tattoos! How can you deny this?? He raped and killed your mother! He raped your sister and made her commit suicide in her depression! He raped blinded your sister's friend! He blinded your girlfriend! He slaughtered everyone in the village! He even killed old Ukal! He murdered your friends including your best friend, Retyrn. You found his body, beaten bloody before his ultimate death. He deserves whatever is dealt out to him. He is not human. Humans are executed. He is an animal and deserves to be slaughtered.

Jawhar's fist tightened as he remembered everything that had been done to their peaceful village. He looked back up into the horizon and stared at the thatched roofs as his vision slowly blurred as the tears built up in his eyes. There was hardly anyone left in the village. There was only Zen. She was the last female and there were no children. If she didn't bear a child, then……then the Sami-Nhir would be lost. They would become extinct just like the desert lions that had stalked the sands before them. 

Tears ran freely down his face as he remembered Retyrn. His best friend. He remembered playing in the sands with him, chasing the scraggy dogs around the village with him, taunting and terrorising the girls. But now he was dead. The Med-Jai had whipped him to death and the girls that they had chased good-naturedly had been either killed, raped, both or taken back to their camps as their slaves. To be made wives. 

Zen. He remembered his girlfriend. She was so beautiful. Her and Emira had been the beauties of the clan. They were like the crown jewels, admired and adored by all. Her long, straight, chestnut hair fell down below her waistline. Her sparkling blue eyes had always hypnotised him with their depths and varied emotions that shone within them. He remembered the curves of her hips, the touch of her lips, the darkness of her eyelashes and the pinkness of her cheeks. Her once expressive eyes, which had more then once held a strange, almost lusty glint in them at night, where now expressionless, opaque and blind. 

Jawhar's fists clenched as he thought at what the Med-Jai had done to her. Violating and then blinding. They had let her live just so that she could tell the rest of the warriors what had happened.

The Sami-Nhir had lost everything that day. Everything. And it was all because of the pig-headed Med-Jai. 

He had lost everything. He had lost his family, his friends and his father hated him. It was all Bay's fault.

The others were just a haze on the horizon heading towards home. HOME?! There was no one there! All that was left of the village were the corrupting bodies and bleached bones buried 50 miles west of them where the suns rays first touched the sand. 

The tears struck the sand, spreading out into tiny diamonds before disappearing into the golden sands where it had been stained with blood from the village and more recently by Bay himself.

Bay. Jawhar saw his friend lying bloody and screamed a cry so full of agony and pain and spun around to face the Med-Jai lying on the sands. He looked so much like Retyrn, the way he was lying. Fury rushed through Jawhar's veins and he rushed forward and began brutally kicking the Med-Jai. He was sobbing and his vision was blurred as he continued his assault on the unconscious teenager. 

One of his enraged kicks hit the boy on his still badly bruised hip and Ardeth jerked awake with a pained cry. This didn't stop Jawhar, instead it seemed to anger him even more. Screamed insults rained down on the Med-Jai at the same time as the abuse and Ardeth curled up into himself in an attempt to stop the blows. Jawhar had dropped to his knees and was pummelling the boy indiscrimately with his fists when one of his blows landed on the boys still healing shoulder. Ardeth gave a loud cry and desperately tried to get away, his legs still too weak to support him. 

The Med-Jai's second cry of pain seemed to wake Jawhar out of his insane spell and he suddenly stilled, staring at the blood on his fists. With eyes unglazing he stared at the boy in front of him, taking in the bandages slowly staining red and the panting, terrified boy staring up at him. 

Ardeth had never been so scared in his life. Jawhar had been an enraged animal, a leopard intend on ripping its prey apart. His body hurt all over. The punches and kicks had gone deep and he thought he could feel something different inside of him. Something flowing?

He looked up into Jawhars now-clearing eyes and slowly inched back, his fingernails scrabbling in the sand. Jawhar's eyes flickered and he sighed unsteadily, as he tried to rein in his emotions. Breathe in, breathe out. He fell back onto sitting on his heels and surveyed the boy in front of him. Bay's breathing was quick and shallow. Fear still showed in his eyes and he noticed the boy trying to edge away. Blood flowed down the white bandages and oozed down his torso.

How could you frighten a young boy so?

He deserved it.

Jawhar sighed as his internal debate raged and he tried to quieten down his inner demon and angel. This wasn't getting anything done. He looked down on the boy with dead eyes and an emotionless face. 

"Come."

Ardeth shivered at the toneless voice and the total lack of emotion in the boy's face and like a little boy, quickly shook his head no. Bad move, he thought as the world swirled around him and he swayed slightly before collapsing back onto the sand and started retching. 

Jawhar's anger spiked at the boy's rebellion but then swayed and stopped as the boy fell upon the sand and started vomiting. Concerned, he leaned forward and placed a hand upon the boy's forehead, feeling the unnatural heat there and noting the paleness of the Med-Jai's face. The boy was totally exhausted, the forced walk taking its toll on his still-weakened body and finally he had not been able to force it any further. The boy gasped for breath once more, before letting his body fall limp on the sand. 

Jawhar sighed. Med-Jai. This boy was too much work. He stood up, dusted himself off and bent at the knees and slid his hands under the teenager's limp body. To his surprise, the Med-Jai wearily and blearily looked up at him, fear still evident in his eyes but their competence rapidly fading. His body was slick with sweat and trembling slightly and uncontrollably. He grunted and lifted the boy up and walked unsteadily to his horse. With great effort, he jerkily place the boy upon his mount - the Med-Jai was all bone, skin and lean muscle; he was quite surprised just how heavy the teenager was. 

Ardeth sighed gently, like a leaf in a zephyr, before allowing his body to mould itself around the beast's flanks. His head was pounding and he was feeling dizzy, sick and nauseous. When would this bad dream just end?

Jawhar swung himself up onto the beasts back and frigidly placed a hand on the Med-Jai's back to steady him as his horse broke into trot and speeded up into a canter. Dehydration and exhaustion, he surmised, that was what the boy was suffering from. Oh, and probably lack of water too.

The teenager beneath his hand groaned lightly and muzzily raised his head.

"W-where are w-we going?"

For once, Jawhar didn't snap or insult the boy. He was too worried about the health of the boy himself; he had been told countless times, in sneering voices, where his captives were leading him. "We're going home."

"Home." Bay murmured as his head lolled on the horses flanks. "H-home. T-that's good. I want to tell father about this horrible dream I've had…….a-am having. Then m-mother will hug me and, and, and when I was younger, s-she used to sit me o-on her lap and sing me a………..lul…..lullaby." Bay was delirious, the words softly spoken and slurred.

The last comment whispered so gently that Jawhar almost missed it - "I miss home."

Something inside of the Sami-Nhir teenager twitched and he felt his mind stop suddenly and back-pedal frantically. The Med-Jai he was holding, was just a boy. _A boy_. Maybe slighter younger then him. _A boy_. He talked lovingly about his father and wished for his mother. He was just a sick teenager wishing that he could be home. Wishing for someone to take him away from the nightmare he found himself embroiled within, wishing for someone to take away all his pain. 

Jawhar felt guilt and the first sign of compassion. 

But the boy was no mere boy. He was a Med-Jai. They were murderous, they had slaughtered their village and killed everyone found within; be them man, woman or child. 

The child turned his head slightly and Jawhar noticed for the first time the developing bruises upon his face and the blood staining his robes. There was a vicious cut along his cheekbone and around it the skin was deepening in colour; it looked sore and when Jawhar wonderingly touched it, Bay winced and pulled away. 

He had caused that bruise. He was the one that had cut this boy, who had terrified him so. He was the one who had assaulted the boy and made him bleed. Jawhar looked down at his hands and saw that they were tinged pink form the beating he had given the teenager.

Who was the one that was more the animal? He had assaulted a bound, ill boy - no younger then himself while the boy himself had done nothing to harm Jawhar. In fact, he had tried to be nice to him. Did he really deserve the treatment that was being heaped upon him? Should he suffer for something that he had not done?

He is Med-Jai. Do not lose sight of what you must do my son. He is blinding you with his deceit. He is evil. **EVIL!** Jawhar could almost hear what his father would say to his argument - if his father would ever choose to listen to him. His father had changed dramatically ever since the attack. 

Jawhar hardly even knew his father now.

Once, a long time ago, he could remember sitting around the fire with his mother beside him, his younger sister nestled comfortably in his lap and his father on his other side. They had been teaching him…….wisdom and fairness, so that when time came, he would be prepared to lead and rule the tribe. He could remember his father saying these exact words and his mother nodding in agreement: "Jawhar my son. One day you will come across something evil, something so evil that will make you turn inside out. It will tear out anything merciful in your body or make you bury any empathy that you have. It will make you angry, so very angry that you will do anything to tear the world apart to search for it and destroy it. You will wish for vengeance and revenge."

A young Jawhar hadn't understood this and had asked, "But father. If there is something that evil, isn't it a good thing to destroy it and rid it from the world - so that it can do no evil?"

Ruwaid had nodded and ruffled his sons light hair and continued, "That is what you will say to validate your reason for vengeance. But when you have torn the world apart, spent your whole life searching for it, and finally get your revenge and kill it…….what then? What have you proven? You must remember, my son, remember that if you go down that path, then you have failed. You have become exactly what you seek out to destroy."

Jawhar had been very confused, "But father! If you don't fight back, then that evil might take away more then you can handle, it might not only effect you but the others around you. Surely, just that is a reason to fight it?"

"Ah, my son. My dear, precious son." Ruwaid had smiled proudly while he regarded his son in the firelight, "You speak with a wisdom beyond your short years. Of course, you are right Jawhar. You must fight, you _need_ to fight it. **But** you must fight it with a clear head - you must not let your emotions blind you, because then, then my son, you are not doing it for good, you are not doing for others around you, _you_ are doing it for yourself, to please yourself, to gain pleasure in another's death and you must _**never ever**_ fall down that lair. Do you understand me?"

Jawhar was even more confused. His father might as well be talking in another language. "No father. Not really." He added sheepishly, "Sorry."

Ruwaid laughed, a deep cheerful sound that made the camp horses raise their heads muzzily. "Don't be my son. Your responses tonight have made me proud. My, my, my. You are growing so quickly, oh! So quickly. One day, when Allah wishes it, I will be gone and you will take my place as leader and I will be so proud. So very proud." Ruwaid sighed and looked into the fire, a sad and wistful emotion flickering across his face.

"But father! I don't…..get…..it!" Jawhar was annoyed with himself and with his fathers strange responses.

"One day, my son, one day when you're older, you'll understand." Ruwaid gave his little boy a quick hug and turned back to the fire, murmuring softly under his breath, "But I hope for your sake that that day will _never_ come."

Jawhar sighed deeply, his memory fading and receding into the background. Yes father, now I understand………..but you have lost sight of your own teachings. 

Bay moaned slightly and the Sami-Nhir pulled out his water container and gently placed it to the teenagers bruised and bleeding lips. "Drink." He commanded but the boy either didn't have enough strength, was still delirious or nauseous because he just turned his head away but not before Jawhar caught an almost incoherent:

"No, t-thankyou."

Jawhar sat, stunned. One hand rested lightly on the boy's back, the other on his thigh to help keep his balance. He had just assaulted this boy and the teenager was still being polite? Polite to his captives who took pleasure in his pain and discomfort?

Once again, Jawhar had to ask himself, who is the animal here?

However, his attention on the boy was broken when his horse topped a sand dune and pranced on the crest while snorting.

Below, lay the sprawling village of the Sami-Nhir warriors.

**** 

** Exams in 2 weeks......so don't expect anything till at least after them. Till next time then..........**


	10. A womans will

**Hello everyone! Yes, a new chapter after soooo long. Well, the trial exams went as planned. Since we had no revision time, my average mark was around 62% and i failed my chem one. IN fact, it was pretty funny as the chem class was in with the geography class and all the geo ppl were really going for it, writing essays, reading maps, making notes while all the chem ppl stared at the ceiling or went to sleep at their desks. Pretty sad.**

O, i'm also really sorry that this is pretty short but its all that i was able to write after being so stressed. You'd think that after exams you'd destress a little but the teachers have just piled on more work and on top of that, i have to break up with my boyfriend in a week. But i guess, life was never meant to be easy yah?

Anyway, onto the reviews:

Deana: Oh! The Princess Bride. Is that the story about where the old man is telling the romance story to the boy and the boy doesn't want to hear the mushy bits till the end?? With the 'near-dead' guy that can't support himself?? If it is, OH MY GOD! I've been trying to think of that movie for aggggeeesss!! I watched it years ago and had NO IDEA what it was called. Just thought it was really funny. And, i live in Australia, therefore its NOT summer. Uh huh, its just gone spring...therefore i was at school during winter. We have summer during Christmas/New Year time.

**Nakhti:**Hey, i left out the animals due to cruelty. The RSPCA would've fined me and put me in jail if i had mentioned the affair with the pet labrador....not to mention the camel. Well, i'm giving a bit of the plot away here but Zen is actually Jawhar's. Like, they're togethere, therefore no one can touch her. Unless they want to die a horrible, gruesome and painful death. Uh yeah, they are the same words. I'm just plain stupid. If your dictionary works a little off, mine lives in a totally different dimension altogether. You'll know whos behind it all soon enough!

**MedjaiAngel:** Thanks for your support but what i really needed was a NEW BRAIN!!! Too bad i can't find a shop that sells them!

**Mommints:** Good to see you again!

**Freakizimi:** You know i only just realised that yu've reviewed my other stories as well. How SLOW am i?!?!?! SOrry! Thanks for all your support!

**Sorry for the spelling. I was too tired to go through and check it! Please forgive me!**

**** 

Ardeth was aware of noise. Noise and the air…….the air…? The last time thing he remembered was the air being full of sand. His mind tried to comes to term with everything. No, it told him, it had not been the sky full of sand. He had collapsed onto the sand. So that dealt with the sky-full-of-sand thing. But the noise?

It was a harsh, painful, jeering type of noise. And the atmosphere buzzed, it positively hummed with rotten electricity. The evil vibe in the air made the Med-Jai shiver inwardly with uneasiness. Something was not right. Had he been having a nightmare? Was he still in a nightmare? Where was his mother? His mother had always appeared after a nightmare, wiping his forehead with a cloth and murmuring calming words into his ear until he had dropped back to sleep. 

He tried to force open his eyes…..they felt like the eyelashes had been glued together. He finally opened them and stared at the sand that went slowly past below his eyes. The sand was moving? He was not walking. That meant that……… He was on a horse. Now that his mind was beginning to catch up he could smell the animal's peculiar odour, it's sweat and it's dusty coat. That didn't explain the noise though…..

Muzzily, he lifted up his head and concentrated on making his eyes focus. There were people around him, they were…..smiling and cheering? No. As Ardeth's eyes focussed, he realised with growing terror that they were sneering and yelling. The hateful aura around the crowd made his spine tingle and almost cowardly Ardeth automatically closed his eyes, feigning sleep. But the move came too late as Jawhar's triumphant voice could be heard over the angry crowd.

"Yes! You see here! We have captured the Med-Jai! He is awake!" A hand closed over a fistful of hair and roughly jerking Ardeth's head up at the same time pulled him off the horse's back. The sudden pain made Ardeth gasp and made his eyes water. The horse snorted and pranced sideways a little as the boy slide down it's flank. 

Jawhar had been walking the horse into the town, his old hate of the Med-Jai ignited as he saw the villager's faces or more importantly, DIDN"T see the faces of the slain villagers. He noticed the boy's rise of consciousness and witnessed his facial expressions as he surveyed the angry villagers surrounding him. But all sympathy had been washed from his mind and like Pontius Pilate, he had washed his hands of this boy's blood. His tribe had slain his friends and many other villagers. This was only justice. In fact, if you looked at it clinically and coldly, the Med-Jai were getting off lightly. 

One life for repayment of many lives taken. 

But that was the problem. Jawhar wasn't a clinically cold person. He was a boy of rages, tantrums and bitter anger………and while something didn't feel quite right, who was he to say? It was his father that was arranging everything and after all……….he owed his father everything. If it were not for his father, he wouldn't have been here today, leading the boy into the village like a lamb to the slaughter……..

NO! STOP IT! Jawhar screamed to himself. To distract himself he said the first thing that came into his mind, announcing that the Med-Jai was awake. This made his father swung off his horse and walk sternly towards him and his prisoner. Unconsciously, Jawhar shrank back, his memory replaying his beating, his body unconsciously sweating, remembering the vicious blows that it had taken. But his father ignored him, instead dragging the boy off the horse, showing him to the townspeople and then throwing the terrified teenager at their feet. The violent roars of the crowd grew louder and Ardeth fleetingly glanced back at Jawhar before someone grabbed him by the neck and hauled him further into the crowd.

The quick look had packed more emotions then a hug or a kiss. The Med-Jai didn't comprehend anything that was going on around him and he was terrified. Well, who wouldn't be? Bruises already marred his tanned skin and the cut on his cheekbone had turned a horrible dark red, the skin around the cut black and swollen. It would be painful to the touch.

The cries of pain cut through Jawhar's thoughts as the crowd vented its anger on the defenceless child. Insults were screamed, punches thrown, kicks swung and the general atmosphere of the crowd made Jawhar's skin tingle. He noticed the sand slowly turning red beneath the feet of the villagers and the body of the captive. One of the blows must have reopened his shoulder wound. 

The boy was hardly recovered from his desert ordeal. If they weren't careful, they could kill him. Beaten to death, blood loss. It was all the same. It all ended up with a dead Med-Jai. Maybe the beating would be more merciful then the slow torture that he would be subjected to….that is if he died. Dead. What was the point of dragging him all this way across the desert, so that he could be beaten to death, when they just could've thrown him back under the horses and let him be trampled to death? Why didn't they just shoot him? Instead of the arrow aimed at his shoulder, why not his heart?

It was because his father had a bigger agenda here, he had said so himself. But that could be ruined if the boy died now. Jawhar battled with his inner anarchy as he tried to weigh out loyalty to a parent and mercifulness. Loyalty won.

"Father! Father! If you let them have their way any longer, then they will kill him!" Jawhar grabbed his father's arm and tried to shake some sense into him. It took a couple of seconds for his father to take notice of him and the face he turned to his son was full of grim satisfaction. Jawhar felt sickened yet proud……..why was he so full of contradicting emotions???

"Once again, you are right my son." He waded into the crowd, making them fall silent, breaking up their lust for blood. "No one will touch him until he has stood trial. That is the way of our tribe. Unfortunately, we let our emotions run away with us……but it will not be so. No one may touch him, unless my son or I say so. Now go back to your homes and return to whatever duties you were doing before we arrived back. The trial will be held tomorrow, starting when the first rays of the sand kiss the sand. It is good to be home."

The crowd bitterly broke up and people wandered off in twos and threes, angry murmurs continuing and fading as the villagers kept on walking. 

"The boy?" Jawhar questioned the retreating back of his father.

"Ah yes. Take him away for the night, tie him up securely somewhere. Make sure he will able to stand the trial tomorrow."

"Yes father." Jawhar inclined his head, sighed under his breath and walked resignedly towards the small lump of dusty, shredded black cloth on the ground. As he neared, he saw the tuft of black hair move and a hand uncover its bruised face and a fearful eye look up and out at him.

"J-Jawhar." Ardeth tried to lever himself up off the ground and cried out aloud at the pain that it re-awoke in his injured shoulder.

"Don't say my name." Jawhar snapped tiredly while helping the boy to his feet.

"W-why? Why are they so…..s-so…a-angry? W-What have I d-done??" Ardeth's voice trembled and appeared to be as weak as the boy himself.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Jawhar looked clinically at the boy beside him, coldly calculating if he needed any medical help. 

If he dies, he dies. Let Allah do what he wish, Jawhar surmised. Stumbling often and accompanied by pained gasps and cries from the injured boy, Jawhar slowly escorted the boy to a small thatched hut, which had a small clearing beside it and driven deep into the ground in the middle of the clearing was a wooden stake, with a chain and shackle attached.

If Ardeth had been in a proper state of mind, he would have been slightly more worried as the stake, chain and shackles suggested the idea that the idea of kidnapping him had been carefully thought out, planned and executed.

But Ardeth was barely conscious and obviously not in the right state of mind. "T-trial….what…t-tomorrow?" He was virtually incoherent and Jawhar had to rearrange the boy's sentence and insert words before realising what Bay had asked.

"Trial? Oh! What's the trial tomorrow?" Ardeth nodded slightly and groaned in pain as Jawhar put him on the ground. "Well…..it's where we……." Jawhar just couldn't make himself say the words "try and execute you"……..he just couldn't. Not to a boy this badly hurt. "It's where…….where….things get decided", he finished lamely while gently shackling the Bay's ankle to the stake.

"Oh." And with that final word the boy passed out virtually in Jawhar's arms.

"Allah damn you Bay! None of this would've happened if -" Jawhar stopped suddenly as he could hear himself repeating himself over and over. "Well, tomorrow it will be decided."

He looked down at the boy once more and walked away.

**** 

Hashim returned from his duties to find his wife in the same, worried state that he had despairingly begin to notice for the last 3 days. He paused just before entering the doorway and surveyed her as she went about her work – cleaning.

Ha. Work. That's what she did when she was worried. Some women cooked, some women complained, some women didn't eat. Abel cleaned. It was beginning to grate on Hashim's nerves. Coming home everyday to a extremely clean home where everything was put away and everything gleamed….well, gleamed as much as it could. He couldn't find anything anymore! He'd begun taking anything important with him when he left, unless he wished for it never to be seen again, stuck in some pile, Allah-knows-where.

"Abel." He said reproachfully as he entered. "I thought we talked about this! I can't find anything when you re-organise this place. I had a great balance of organised chaos here!"

"Yes Hashim. That's why you were continuously tripping over things that you left on the floor and always complaining that you could never find anything."

"My point exa---No! Abel! That's not right!"

"Tell the truth……"

Hashim grimaced, remembering the old days, "Well……..m-maybe just a liiittttlleee bit….." 

"See! Proves my point exactly!"

Hashim exhaled, "I guess you're right."

"I'm _always_ right. That's why I'm a woman!" Abel finally stopped whatever she was doing and looked up at him. With **_that_** look.

Hashim winced once again, recognising that look and bracing himself for the battle that was about to occur.

"Hashim. Its already been almost 4 days, can we go look for him now? Please? We've almost waited a week."

"Well Abel….." Hashim ran his hand through his hair, "We did say we'd give him a week remember? And think about what he'd say if we sent someone after him."

"But Hashim…."

"No Abel. I say we let a week go past….its only 3 more days." Hashim turned to go back out of the house but was startled as his wife rushed in front of him and stood in his path. Her eyes were ablaze ferociously with a look that Hashim had never seen before, the insane look of a mother willing to protect her young at the consequence of her own death.

"**HASHIM BAY!** You **will** send out a search party **tomorrow**, as _I'm your wife_ and you will do **_as I say!_** I carried that child for 9 MONTHS! My grandmother could SENSE the future and I **CAN TOO**. And as your wife, I **DEMAND YOU SEND THE SEARCH PARTY!**" With insane strength, she slammed him onto the ground and glared at him. 

Hashim had never seen Abel like this before, in fact, he'd never seen any woman like this before. Frankly, he was scared. Now he knew why they said that, "There is nothing more dangerous then a mother protecting her young." He looked at her wild eyes and beautifully contorted face, ran through his options and relented.

"_Hashim_…." Her voice was a low, sinister growl of a lioness. "What is your decision? If you do send someone, I will go _myself_." Her voice had still carried the growl and was soft but contained a lethal edge.

Hashim snuck in a look once more, allowed himself a small mental grin and replied, "If you let me up, I'll send someone out tomorrow morning. First light."

Hashim had a good view of Abel's face and the varying emotions that flashed past and allowed himself a shaky laugh. "You will? You swear that you will?" Abel gasped then glared, "You're not lying are you?"

"No. I promise." Hashim truthfully replied.

"Thankyou! Thankyou husband!" Abel threw herself on top of him and gave him a hug, her long hair covering their faces.

"You're welcome. Now let me up!" Hashim's voice came out muffled and nothing like the commanding tone he was searching for. 

**** 

Ardeth opened his eyes and in a half unconscious gaze, dreamily saw a face in front of him. An angelic face, framed by chestnut hair with vacant eyes. Eyes that saw through him…..through him…..into his soul……

Like a demon, like an angel…….like a guardian.

Beautiful, so beautiful………she was………

Gone.

The swirling grey mist enveloped his sight once again and the image disappeared.

Ardeth slept on in a dreamless sleep.

**** 

Dawn saw activity happening in the two villages. Activity of two different sorts.

In the Med-Jai camp, the sun bathed the camp in a golden yellow light, the air held a sweet, fragile fragrance and contained the gently-strong smell of relief and fear as a group of early-risers bid farewell to the group of men astride their horses that had been set loose upon the unforgiving desert in the non-apparent futile action of bringing Ardeth home safely.

The departure of the guards did nothing to lighten Abel's heart. If anything, she felt even worse then before, her churning stomach forcing her to leave early. Hashim found her vomiting violently in the sands.

"Come wife. You need a sleep, you need to stop worrying. He will be found. Wait and see." Hashim gently knelt beside her, pulled her hair back away from her face and rubbed comforting circles on her back. 

Abel wiped her mouth and whispered, "I'm just so scared." She collapsed against Hashim, crying softly. "Oh Hashim! I'm so scared! I'm so scared!"

"Shhhh. Shhh. Everything's going to be alright. Calm down, just calm down. Shhhh." He crooned to her and gently scooped her up into his arms and walked away from the rapidly departing figures of the guards. "Lets get you to bed."

"I'm terrified."

"I know. I know." Cradling his wife's head against his chest, he turned and looked at the sun which held a blood-red tinge. "Shhh. Everything will be alright" He spoke once again as fear crept into his words. "Everything will be fine."

_Allah. If you are listening, please protect my son. Fold him unto your robes and gently swathe any injuries or hurts he has obtained. Lay your tread upon him gently, please do not forget – he is only a child. Please Allah. Please protect my son._

The sun threw its red spectrum over the Sami-Nhir camp, its rays covering the camp like a cloth covered in blood. The whole tribe was out watching a small figure roughly drag another figure after it. Jeering and sneering filled the air and the metallic taste of blood filled the air and was twisted with the vile emotions of hate, angry and vengeance.

Ruwaid watched with sick satisfaction as the boy repeatedly stumbled and fell as his son callously dragged the boy to the trial plain. He looked once again at the blood-red sun, its image already beginning to grow fuzzy while in the lower horizon.

Mikail noticed his gaze and answered his question, "Red sun sire. Means we will have a storm here soon."

Ruwaid showed his teeth in a mirthless grin, "How soon?"

"Soon enough my lord." Mikail asked worriedly, "Are you going to continue the trial even through the storm?"

"Nothing will stop this trial. We will continue." Ruwaid stubbornly set his jaw and glared at his second in command, daring him to disobey him.

Mikail knew that dangerous look in his chief's eye. "As you wish my lord." He watched the blood-lust of the crowd, the callousness in their treatment of the Med-Jai teenager and the helplessness of the boy himself.

_Allah. Even though I know this boy's tribe murdered our tribe's members, please watch over this boy. Remember that he is only a child and have mercy on him._

Ruwaid had never felt this great in his life. He had never realised just how powerful and dominant having the power to control, actually hold the fate of a human beings life, was. It made him feel like a god. It was dark feeling but it was a fantastic feeling.

Oh yes, it was good. It was great. This boy was going to pay for al the sins of his tribe and Ruwaid was going to enjoy making him pay.

__

Allah. With your gracious goodness you have blessed me with the gift and sacrifice of one of your worthless servants Ardeth Bay. I, your loyal servant, will use myself as one of your predators, ripping apart this piece of filth and forever honouring your name. This boy's blood will be spilled to honour you and your wonderful works.

As an afterthought Ruwaid added:

__

Please watch over my beloved wife and daughter in their afterlives.

**** 

** Okie dokies people! I don't think i'm going to get much written up again for a while as I have to really study for my real exams (they're in 8 weeks, and i only 5 weeks of school left) and i'm going to the city (700km away) in 2 weeks for lectures/tuition.**

But, no matter what i should be able to put up another chapter in the hollies coming up in two weeks.

Thanks for all the help from everyone and I love your reviews. Coming home from a crap day at school, they just MAKE my day. Seriously.


	11. The Trial

****

Okay, for a start, I am SOOOO sorry that i've made everyone wait soo long. I could use the excuse that i've just been so busy, and i have but thats not relaly a good excuse. Considering i've been on holidays for ages. So, i can only say, "sorry!" and will you ever forgive me? *gets down on knees and begs* No? Please?? *kisses feet* PLEASE?!?! I feel sooo bad! Well, i made this chapter slightly longer then my usual chapters. Also, i haven't finished writing the complete story yet! And its 83 pages so far, 52,000 odd words....so this story is gonna be a long one! I've written the end and everything, now all i have to do is just fill in the gaps!

Anyway, i better answer some reviews and then no doubt, you wanna read da story, ya?

Deana: I'd have to say a HUGE thankyou for taking the time to read AND review my story...you must be so busy with your own! And if my story is awesome, you're are just....SPECTACULAR!

**Nakhti:** Man, I LOVE YOU! You are such a cool reviewer! You have like the longest reviews i've ever seen and you always manage to put a smile on my face! I'm sorry, you must be dead hey? *tried to revive nakhti, not working so roz bursts into tears and sulks* Wake up! Wake up! *rubs those electric pads together* CLEAR! *shocks nakhti* I'm sorry for making you wait too long! And you'd be impressed to know that i finished writing up the Sabre Dance scene! It took my only a whole of like 3 pages. You admire Ardeth's arse? I can't get past his accent, its so cute! Thanks for your luck on exams, it came through! And no, i'm afraid you can't be Ardeth's girlfriend. He doesn't really have one here! Besides can you imagein the lineup for Ardeth's girlfriend? I'd have to run auditions! Well, that was a long response to all your long reviews! Keep reviewing, you're fantastic!

**Freakizimi:** And Freakizimi! You've been a godsend! I wish there were more people like you! Thankyou SOO much for all your advice on exams, it really helped me calm down and get my thoughts straight. And i even had a milk milo before i went to bed one nite! i loved all your suggestions, and i would've taken you up on that site that explained chem easily cept they do teach different things from country to country. I mean, they teach different stuff from state to state! (isn't that gay?) You are a really cool reviewer, hey, how come you don't have a profile? I went looking for it to see if you've done ne cool stories cause you always seem to be able to find mine, and.....theres no freakizimi! *cries* Well, i hope you like this story! Oh, and just in case you wanted to know, i got 85.1 on my exams (out of 99.95) and with my bonus points, that means i got 91 to 93! Me so happy!

**MedjaiAngel:** I'm sorry that i made you wait for this next chapter for so long. You know how it is. Exams, end of school, graduation, christmas, boxing day, new years (get really drunk nite), getting prepared for uni.....yeah, i've just been lazy! Well, i hope you enjoy this chapter! My brain died. No seriously! LOL!

**Well, thats it! Onto the story! And has anyone else noticed how alike Med-Jai and Jedi are in the spelling and sound? It's been bothering me during my writing! Enjoy!** **** 

Ardeth glanced around fearfully as he was dragged out into the clearing. His body ached from all the blows it had taken and even though his shoulder had stopped bleeding during the night, the renewed rough treatment threatened to tear the wound open once again. 

Like before, the crowd jeered and sneered at him, their aura of hate visibly affecting the boy.

Ardeth was not a coward by any standards but just the malicious look gleaming in their eyes, scared the boy. He had only looked into eyes like this once before but had never seen them on a human's face. It was not a look that you wished to see on a human's face. The once he had seen it, had terrified the boy. That time was when he was out in the desert with a group of friends, when a rabid jackal had attacked. It had had the hysterical, out-of-control, vicious look of an animal just wishing to rip, tear, main and do some harm before it died. 

Of course, Ardeth had killed the animal. It had wrenched his heart to do it to an animal that obviously wasn't in it's own mind, but the jackal had to be put out of its misery and the disease had to be stopped. The young boy had been called a hero and paraded proudly through the village, but the young Med-Jai could only see the blood on his hands as he killed the jackal and its insane look in it's red eyes. 

The people jostling around him had the same insane look. Subconsciously, he drew nearer to Jawhar, who was leading him to the trial grounds. The boy had been more then evasive when Ardeth had questioned him about the happenings that were to occur today, in fact the Sami-Nhir teenager had all but hit him when Ardeth had continuously asked about the events. 

And the girl. Ardeth wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or dreaming when he had had the vision of the girl peering in at him. But there was something strange about her eyes….they seemed to see right through him. Past his barriers and walls, and straight into his soul, reading his mind and his heart. 

Ardeth shivered, he had to have been hallucinating. He smiled faintly, _It was a good hallucination while it lasted. _

Suddenly, Ardeth found himself lying flat on his face, his breath knocked out of him. _What? How did I? What the??_ The boy struggled to his knees, making sure he didn't jostle his injured arm. He tried to breath in deeply, his lungs straining to fill with life-giving oxygen. But then, the boy found himself lying on his side and his ribs were screaming at him. Ardeth blinked and tried to put the picture together as another boot slammed into his stomach, causing the boy to cry out and curl protectively. There was shouting going on around him and then, then there was no more kicks.

Ardeth risked a glance upwards and saw Jawhar struggling to hold the crowd back. 

The Sami-Nhir opened his mouth and yelled something, but Ardeth couldn't hear it. He could see the veins standing out as Jawhar used maximum volume but whatever he said appeared to calm down the blood-thirsty crowd and Ardeth shakily regained his feet. 

"You are not to touch him until AFTER the trial! You HEAR ME?!! That is the way of our tribe! A fair trial! Once his sentence has been handed down, THEN you will find out what you CAN and CAN'T DO to him! But until then, YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM. _**DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME??**_" Jawhar's voice was strong and didn't quaver.

There was dirty muttering from the crowd, but the words had their intended effect and the people visibly backed off, and kept their hands and feet to themselves. However, their glares didn't soften in the least and Ardeth still found himself shivering from their hatred as much as the pain his body was feeling. 

Ardeth's vision was reeling and before he knew it, he was standing in an open clearing in front of a group of older men, the man called Ruwaid sitting amongst them. Mikail and Shahin also stood near them, near enough to offer advice and give evidence but not near enough to be included in the deciding panel. 

The teenager felt his heart wrench and he knew from the very start that he was not going to get out of this easily. He just knew, that the trial would be rigged. Despite what Jawhar had said, he knew that the trial was not going to be fair. 

"The trial of the boy in front of us begins right now, the panel can see that it is indeed dawn, as is the tradition time that trials take place." Ruwaid broke off and looked at the panel to see them men nodding their heads in affirmation.

"State your name boy." Ruwaid spoke severely to the scared teenager.

"Er…..Ardeth Bay. Uhm, what am I doing here." Ardeth spoke his name and without thinking asked a question.

Ruwaid's face tightened and he nodded to one of the guards that had taken up a position on either side of the Med-Jai and suddenly Ardeth found himself on his knees and yelped as felt a painful lash to his back.

"The prisoner is not permitted to speak, unless spoken to, and only at the time of his stated defence can he speak. Each transgression is awarded with a hit with the horsewhip." Ruwaid eyes hardened and he asked, "Do you understand prisoner?"

Ardeth swallowed and nodded, "Yes." 

"Good." Ruwaid smiled coldly as his son joined him, coming to stand expressionless alongside. 

"You, Ardeth Bay, are hereby charged with the murder several members of the Sami-Nhir tribe, to which occurred one peaceful day in the past. How do you plead?"

Ardeth's mouth dropped open in shock, "Not guilty."

The panel muttered and exchanged glances. "You believe yourself not guilty?" Ruwaid asked, scorn entering his voice.

"Yes." The teenager spoke back, confidence and bewilderment colouring his voice. _I would never murder anyone! Why am I in this situation? How did I get here?!?!_

"Fine then. We will do this the hard and long way." Ruwaid's face was grim and his face angry. "We call the witness Zen."

And then she came. The girl that Ardeth thought he had dreamed up. The girl with chestnut hair and vacant eyes. She looked heavily pregnant and seemed to stare right through him. Ardeth felt his heart clench inside of his chest, she looked so beautiful. But the only emotions on her face were ones of anger and hatred. The emotions were so strong, Ardeth internally recoiled, wondering what had caused this girl so much pain to make her feel the strong emotions. 

Ruwaid spoke again, silencing the muttering of the warriors which had started up when the girl had entered the circle, "Zen. We of the panel, apologize for making you have to relive your memories but we need you to restate the evidence that you told us. Please start once you are ready to begin and please start from the very beginning.

Zen nodded, and her hand unconsciously went to her large stomach, caressing her unborn child within. She took a deep breath and began to speak, her voice was silky smooth and pure, carrying musical overtones and gentle fluctuations. "It was a day in our recent past when all of the Sami-Nhir warriors decided to go on a large hunt. There had been good reports of jackals and camels present and it was thought that we needed the food. Times had been peaceful, and it was decided that all of the men warriors should go on the hunt. So, the day came and all of the warriors prepared to leave. They packed their gear, took their horses and left. For a while, it was peaceful in the village."

"Who was left in the village?" Ruwaid asked for show, so that the Med-Jai would know the answer.

"Only the women, children and old men were left in the village. Anyone that couldn't go on the hunt, stayed behind. We were defenceless." Zen stopped suddenly, tears filling her eyes. 

For a moment, silence reigned until she got herself under control and Ruwaid said, "Continue when you're ready."

Zen nodded, "I cannot tell how much time had passed since the hunting party left, it could've been hours, it could've been days, but time passed and then a Med-Jai group rode into the village." Ardeth's mouth dropped again, _Med-Jai?!? In this village?? There have been no parties out this far that I know of._

"How did you know that they were Med-Jai?" Ardeth asked despite himself. Instantly, pain seared through his senses as the warrior beside him hit him with the horsewhip. Ardeth gritted his teeth in an effort not to cry out.

"Silence prisoner!" Ruwaid ordered sharply. "Although, Zen. Could you please answer the question?"

"They carried the markings of the Med-Jai. The traditional black tattoos that are found upon their cheekbones. Each warrior had the markings."

"Please continue with the story." The Sami-Nhir softly ordered.

"Well, the Med-Jai came galloping in on their horses, and they didn't even stop…….they didn't even……." Zen's voice broke but she valiantly continued, "They slaughtered anyone they came across."

Ardeth's mind was whirling, _Surely this isn't true. My tribe would not do such a thing!_ "No!" Ardeth cried out for his tribe's defence, "They would never do a thing like that!" His argument was awarded with two more strikes from the whip which left him gasping in pain.

"SILENCE!" Ruwaid nodded for Zen to continue.

"Women, children, old men, it made no difference. They killed anyone and everyone they came across. If they came across any pretty girls that took their fancy, they would drag them away and……..they would rape them. They took great pleasure in inflicting pain, they shot Ukal despite the fact he was blind, and they whipped Retyrn to death. Many others they beat to death. They killed all the males and either killed or took all the females away with them. I was the only one they left behind."

The warriors muttering was getting louder and Ardeth could feel the hate emanating from the crowd as the story had continued. He himself was in shock. _My tribe would never do a thing like this. I don't know who's done this, but whoever did deserves to be punished. The Med-Jai didn't do this, but they think we did. But we DIDN'T! Then………who did??_ The situation was all very confusing but Ardeth had the sinking feeling in his stomach, thinking he knew just why he was there and what they intended to do with him. With a jerk he heard Zen's voice continuing:

"They killed everyone in the village but they left me alive to tell the story, except…….to have some fun, they blinded me just before they left." Zen had tears flowing freely now and she had deliberately left out the part of her being raped, it was too horrible and demoralising to talk about.

__

NO! There is no way that our tribe would be so heartless! They wouldn't take pleasure in inducing pain, they wouldn't harm innocents like that! They WOULD NOT blind a young girl. Ardeth would not believe that his tribe would do such a thing. He couldn't believe that any tribe would do such a horrible thing.

"Is that enough evidence for the panel to work with?" Ruwaid took pity on the shaking girl, and looked around the other members of the panel taking in their nods. "Then the witness is free to go." 

_No. This has to be a dream. A big, horrible, nasty dream. _

The girl shakily stood up, and while caressing her belly, left. Ardeth couldn't help but stare after her as she left. Even though she was pregnant, the sway of her hips, her sightless yet dreamy eyes and full lips had him entranced. 

"The accused now has the right to defend himself. He must stand before the panel." Ruwaid's voice lost all compassion but suppressed fury could be heard beneath it.

Ardeth gingerly got to his feet, wincing as the whip marks on his back stung. The men behind him retreated slightly but held their weapons just by their side in the universal pose of 'I could seriously harm you but I was told I was not allowed, so you just wait until they say I can'.

"What does the accuse plead?" Ruwaid asked again.

"Not guilty!" Ardeth burst out and flinched, waiting for the whip blow which never came. 

The muttering in the crowd grew louder and their intent even more murderous. Shahin was grinning a grin that Ardeth wished never to see again, Jawhar's face was impassively stony while Mikail seemed agitated about something. He kept glancing around, his gaze straying to the horizon where the sand seemed to melt into the sky.

"You have listened to the evidence and still believe yourself not guilty?"

"Yes! I'm not guilty of those charges!"

"Ah, but your tribe is?"

"What? NO!" Ardeth shouted in vain as the muttering grew to loud arguments, the Sami-Nhir's voices covering his own. Shahin's smile grew even wider.

Mikail suddenly moved from his spot and hurried over to Ruwaid to whisper something frantically in his ear. Ruwaid pulled an annoyed face and waved the man away irritably.

"I have just been told that a severe sandstorm is approaching fast. Do the people wish for the trial to continue even though we may be enveloped in this sandstorm?" Ruwaid asked the people gathered in front of him.

The resounding affirmation made the leader nod in satisfaction and turn back to the teenager, 

"So you are Ardeth Bay?"

"Yes."

"Son of Hashim Bay, who is leader of the Med-Jai?"

"Yes."

"Who massacred more then ½ of this village?"

"NO! I've already told you! We did not massacre or murder anyone!" Ardeth couldn't believe this was happening to him, "What do you want me for??"

"Since it was the Med-Jai that committed the act, then it must be a Med-Jai who must stand trial. Who better then the heir to the leadership?" Ruwaid spoke triumphantly.

The sandstorm was coming closer, Ardeth could feel the wind already whipping his robes around and messing up his already messed up hair.

"Where were you when the attack happened?" Ruwaid questioned, while the whole panel seemed to lean forward in anticipation.

"In the village!" Ardeth uselessly tried to defend himself. 

"How do you know you were in the village if we didn't tell you the day?"

"I am always in the village! I'm not allowed out! This is my first real time out!"

"Then you wouldn't know what goes on outside the village then!" Ruwaid laid down his point like a man laying down an ace.

"No! That's not true! All the journeys are discussed beforehand."

The air was getting grittier, the sand storm was only several kilometres away and closing fast. 

"I don't see why they would discuss it with you, as you are only a child still, not a warrior. I doubt that the Med-Jai would tell everyone in their camp where they're going or what they're doing, especially if they've gone to kill a lot of innocents!"

"They wouldn't do that! They wouldn't!"

The sandstorm struck. Sand was flying everywhere and obscuring everything. _The sand is obscuring my vision, just like someone here is obscuring the truth. I cannot see and they cannot see the truth. This is not right, my tribe would not commit such an act, but something obvious happened, so who did it?_ Ardeth tried to think, tried to make connections but couldn't, the sandstorm was pummelling him into the ground, distracting him, just like someone was distracting the Sami-Nhir from the truth. 

Arms suddenly wrapped themselves around the boy so that he couldn't escape and for several minutes the air was gritty and solid with sand, then as sudden as the sandstorm had come, it was gone, moving on. 

The arms unceremoniously dumped him on the ground and Ardeth spent several seconds just coughing, trying to remove all the sand from his lungs and oesophagus. 

"Has the panel heard enough?" Ruwaid asked eyeing the retching boy on the ground.

Everyone on the panel nodded.

"Then has a verdict been reached?"

Ardeth's head shot up, _But I haven't even really been able to defend myself!_ "But I haven't been able to---" the whip smacked into him so hard that Ardeth slumped to the ground, trying to control his harsh breathing and whimpers from slipping out.

"SILENCE! Has a verdict been reached? Good. What is it?"

One of the panel stood up, looked at the rest of the members around him and spoke, "The verdict is……guilty."

"So it has been done and spoken." Ruwaid nodded while Shahin's eyes smiled. 

Ardeth's mind was spinning, _This can't be happening. How can I be found guilty of something I haven't done? How can I be found guilty for something my tribe hasn't done? What kind of justice is this?_ Ardeth looked up just in time to see Ruwaid smile grimly, _This isn't justice, this is revenge._

"The accused is found guilty. As chief I will lay down the punishment. He is to be kept within the camp, and is now property of the Sami-Nhir tribe. He is to be used as a slave to the Sami-Nhir until I find a use for him. Death is too good and too quick for him. He will pay for everything that the Sami-Nhir has gone through. Anyone may do what they wish to him, as long as he is not permanently damaged and still lives. That is my final decision."

The crowd cheered while Ardeth felt himself sinking into a hole of depression and desperation. Did he just hear right? A slave? HERE? At _their_ mercy? _**GUILTY??**_

Ardeth was roughly dragged to his feet and carried off somewhere, he didn't even bother to try and struggle. The guards chained him back to his pole and then taunted and continued to hit him until the young Med-Jai couldn't see straight and couldn't hear the insane laughter of the bloodlust crowd. He didn't see the look of disgust and revulsion on Jawhar's face, nor Jawhar's arm tightly wound around Zen's waist. He didn't see Shahin's grinning face, excitement and pleasure written across his face as he watched the boy's beating. He didn't see Mikail's small shake of a head nor him walking off in disgust.

All Ardeth could feel and think of was the pain and the thought that if this behaviour continued, then he wouldn't last till the end of the week.

By the look on Shahin's face and the way things were going, that might be considered a good thing.

**** ****

Hopefully the next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully.


	12. The birth of Thaqib

**Well, here is the next part! Sorry for the wait! Obviously it wasn't as long as the last wait (that was like ETERNITY) but sorry none-the-less.......this is turning out to be such a catastrophe! This story is.....well, i'm not liking it AT ALL! I've screwed up the timeline so many times that its like a corkscrew, Ardeth is so out of character, my OC characters suck AND i made a Mary-SUE!!! *roz bursts into tears* **

NOOOOO!!! I promise i'll finish the story for you......but heres my big apology for making you guys have to read it.

By the way, what exactly IS a beta-reader??

Mommints: MOMMINTS!! *hugs* You're back! Don't worry, you're excused, its me that has to say sorry all the time. I hope you enjoy this chapter, its harder on Jawhar then it is on Ardeth, so our favourite kinda gets a bit of a break here!

**Sirithiliel:** No need to say sorry! As i told Mommints, its mainly my fault! Updated!

**Nakhti:** *curses* You've been COUNTING?? Oh ALLAH! *faints* No way mate! I LURVE your reviews! They're long! They make me feel SPECIAL! Yes, Ardeth is being a naughty little boy, out of all the girls he could chose, he choses a PREGNANT one?!? Yuck now that i think about it. Hahahaha! I'm sure you won't mind if i just don't give you the address of the village: 1/23 Stake and shackle in the ground, C/O Ruwaid, insane chief of Sami-Nhir, vanishing tribe, DESERT. 

**Captain: Full gallop ahead! ONWARDS! *roz saunters vaugely in the direction shown, gets distracted by a desert flower, trips over her own feet and rolls down a BIG sanddune* Roz: DAMN!**

**** 

A week passed with not a word about his son's disappearance. Abel was frantic, almost hysterical at times. 

Then after a week and two days had passed, the group rode back into the camp. The group leader was grim and wordlessly passed a small scrap of bloodstained paper to an also grim Hashim.

Written upon it was a short, simple message, it's words intended to strike fear into any parents heart.

_Hashim_

We have your son Ardeth. If you want to see him again, alive, then you will meet me at the old Al-Zeqhre wadi in 3 weeks from whenever you receive this letter. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Ruwaid, leader of the Sami-Nhir

Hashim felt anger take over and fill his senses, and without even realising it, his hands clenched, screwing up the paper, leaving bloody smears on his hands.

"What shall we do Hashim?" the leader of the warriors asked.

"We inform the camp of these happenings, and then we ride for Al-Zeqhre wadi. All of us."

"All of us?"

"Any warrior that is able to fight will accompany me."

"What about the camp? It will be unguarded."

Hashim smiled suddenly, his white teeth flashing like the jaws of a shark, "Oh, the Med-Jai women can hold their own. Trust me on that."

"As you wish." The warrior bowed slightly, then retreated while yelling orders to his men.

As soon as Hashim walked into the tent, Abel knew that there was something wrong. Darkness had entered his eyes and his shoulders shook with suppressed fury.

"Husband?" she questioned timidly.

"As soon as we are ready and supplies accounted for, we shall ride." Hashim's voice was clipped and cold.

"Where to? What has happened?" Abel stepped forward, a growing fear in her voice.

For the first time, Hashim looked his wife clearly in the eyes and saw a mother's anguish. He gently enveloped her in a hug and said quietly, "Ardeth has been kidnapped, captured by another tribe."

"What?" Abel tried to pull back but was held firmly in the embrace, "What do they want with him?"

"I do not know. I do not even know this tribe!"

"Oh Hashim…..Hashim……." Abel's hands suddenly clenched Hashim's robes on his back, "What if we don't get him back? What if I never see him again? I want him back. I want him in my arms!"

Hashim stroked his wife's hair, "I know. We taught him well. He's smarter then you….." He tried to make her smile, "He's tougher then me." Hashim's smile faded as he thought of what his son might be going through.

Abel's voice choked with uncried tears, "I love him so much! I just can't—"

Hashim cut in, trying to soothe his distressed wife by making soft, comforting noises, "I know. I know. We both do, and Ardeth knows that." If anything, Hashim's embrace grew stronger and he whispered fiercely into her ear, "We will get him back. I promise you that. I will bring our son home."

**** 

For a week, Ardeth found what it was like to be a slave in the Sami-Nhir camp. He was not allowed to look anyone in the eye, he was not meant to talk unless spoken to, and he was meant to do all and any job given to him. 

Everyday, insults were thrown at him. Sometimes they weren't the only things thrown at him. He had several bruises from rocks and had more then once had rotten food thrown at him.

The only good thing about being in the Sami-Nhir camp was Zen. But her behaviour towards him was strange. Very strange. Some days she seemed to hate him with all her heart, other days she ignored and at other times, her facial expressions seemed to convoy sympathy with the boy.

Ardeth knew, unfortunately, that he was falling in love with her. How ridiculous. He was falling in love with a blind, pregnant girl who's father of the baby was the son of the chief who wanted him dead. How utterly absurd. And yet, it couldn't be helped. Ardeth couldn't curb his emotions as much as he could stop the passage of time, the sand falling through the hourglass. 

Ardeth didn't touch her, he tried not to speak to her, he only watched her from afar, watched her interaction with Jawhar, Jawhar the loving father caressing his unborn son. 

Life was torment for the young Med-Jai. Did his father even know he was here? Was he father going to come get him? Or would be stuck, forevermore, in this camp? To forever be a slave?

Ardeth prayed every night to Allah that it was not meant to end that way. He prayed for his father to find him, for the real murderers to be found while all the while, in reality, the Sami-Nhir laughed at him and Shahin goaded and kicked him. 

Ardeth didn't know how much more he could really take of this imprisonment. It was tarnishing his soul, bringing him close to his breaking point.

And then, one night, there was a huge celebration. Zen had just given birth to a healthy baby boy. A heir to carry on the Sami-Nhir tribe. They had been saved, spared. She had named him Thaqib, after the shooting star she had seen in the sky that night. 

Everyone in the tribe got roaringly drunk that night. This was, traditionally, the worst time for Ardeth. Drunk warriors were dangerous warriors. 

It was a night where the truth came out from behind slurred drunken words, where the mind normally clasping its hidden thoughts so tightly to itself, became loose and let go of those hidden thoughts, mostly unbidden.

Sometime during the night, Ardeth didn't know when or quite how it happened, some of the warriors had forced him to drink some kind of potent drink. One that burned when it went down his throat and churned uneasily in his stomach. Ardeth had never been drunk before, he had never really drunk alcohol before. His system was totally unaccustomed to it and therefore, Ardeth had succumbed to the alcohol's effects rather quickly. 

There was dancing around him but Ardeth couldn't get his eyes to focus properly. To him it was just a whorl of colours, flashing past intermingling with the image of the fire burning. He could hardly walk, just putting gone foot in front of the other required immense effort. Walking in a straight line was impossible, and Ardeth had given up trying to speak properly. It was hard to think, his head felt like it was filled with cotton, the events unfolding around him appeared no more solid then a dream. All he could do was watch with slightly muddled eyes and try to make sense of it when tomorrow came.

Jawhar watched joyfully, laughter erupting from his mouth spontaneously. He was a father! He was _**A FATHER!**_ He laughed his senses spinning out slightly. He watched as the Med-Jai stumbled as the warriors milled around sniggering. Zen had retired to her bed earlier that night, the rigours of labour had exhausted her and apart from her brief venture out of the tent to show the baby to the tribe she had stayed in her bed. 

Ruwaid stepped in the firelight, his expression dark and stony – contrasting starkly to others around him. Jawhar watched easily, tonight was a night for celebration. The atmosphere of joy had even penetrated the hardest of warriors, and instead of physically harming the Med-Jai they just resorted to laughing at his drunk actions. 

Therefore, the whole tribe was caught off guard when Ruwaid suddenly spun around and kicked the Med-Jai child in the face, causing Ardeth to give a yelp of pain and tumble backwards. Without even stopping for breath, he begun pummelling the defenceless child, his fists indiscriminate in their landing – face, back, legs, chest, side – it was all the same to Ruwaid in his drunken rage.

The warriors stared in shock as their chief struck the defenceless boy over and over again. The boy's cries cut through the crowd and it was all that could be heard, except for the crackling of the fire. The music had stopped and there was only drunk muttering, hesitantly forced laughter and the child's cries.

With the alcohol overriding his main protective circuits, Jawhar's thoughts tumbled through his mind, not even bothering to check in at Common Sense. _That's not right! This is my night!_

Jawhar stumbled forward, and grabbed his father's arm slurring, "Stop it!"

The camp went deathly silent. No one had ever gone up against Ruwaid. Not even his own children. _Excepting his daughter_, Jawhar silently corrected himself.

"What did you say?" Ruwaid's words were also slurred and slow with definite edge.

Jawhar's brain didn't stop to comprehend the words and consequences that could follow his words, "I said stop it. Tonight, the boy should not be harmed. He should not be touched! You should not touch him father!" To prove his point, Jawhar unsteadily placed himself between the boy and his father.

Ruwaid slowly smiled and the warriors instinctively leaned away from Jawhar. They could almost hear the slick sound of his canines gnashing together. "Are you sure boy?"

Jawhar's remaining functioning brain cells were jostling for attention, trying to warn him of the danger that went completely over the boy's head in his drunken state. "Yes. You will not hit him father."

From out of nowhere, Ruwaid's fist flew out of nowhere and connected solidly with his son's face. Jawhar went down like a stunned mullet. "So you reckon that I should pick on someone else then?" Ruwaid's voice grew louder and angrier as he hauled his son up by his robes and hit him down again. "You WILL NOT tell me what TO DO." Ruwaid's drunken mind had overridden his paternal instincts and the rage that had been directed to Ardeth was now directed to his son.

In response, Jawhar automatically curled up in an unconscious effort to protect his vital organs. _It's happening just like before. I should've remembered, when father is drunk he gets angry, and when he's angry he takes it out on anything._

"You, BOY, have the NERVE to **TELL _ME_** what to DO?!?! Why, I'll give the BEATING that you'll remember FOREVER! How dare you! _HOW DARE YOU!!_" For a seemingly small man, Ruwaid was immensely strong when angered. It was like his pure anger propelled him like gases and cordite could propel a bullet. Ruwaid roughly grabbed his son by his forearm in a grip so tight that the boy's skin instantly turned white and Jawhar cried out, feeling his bone creak with the strain.

The men watched in silence, not willing to break it up and risk the wrath of their drunken chief. When Ruwaid was in his drunk rages, he could easily take down some of the toughest warriors in the tribe. Besides, he was their leader. They followed what he did and where he'd go unquestioningly. 

The men watched as the father hit his son over and over again. They watched in silence and flinched when their young leader cried out in pain. 

"You tell ME what to DO?!? You **IMPUDENT _BRAT!_** After EVERYTHING I've done FOR YOU! I fed you, I clothed you, I taught YOU EVERYTHING! And you dare tell me what I CAN and CAN'T DO?!?" Ruwaid yelled as he kicked Jawhar. 

Jawhar winced and bit his lip but remained silent. _If I say anything, then he'll just fly into an ever bigger rage_. Jawhar could smell the alcohol clinging to his father's clothes, he could smell the alcohol vapours on his father's breath. Jawhar was not the kind that was easily scared, but when his father got into these rages, he was terrified. 

In an effort to block out the pain Jawhar tried to think of when his father's behaviour had degenerated into this. For a while, it was blank – Jawhar couldn't think straight but then it came to him in a rush and he groaned. Not just because of the pain, but because he couldn't believe that he'd forgotten.

Of course, his father had turned into this drunken monster after the massacre. Whenever he was drunk he would think back to the massacre and go insane with grief. Grief which then very quickly turned to physical anger directed to anyone that came close. And having a Med-Jai, any Med-Jai, in the camp wouldn't have helped.

"You reckon that we should be kind to the Med-Jai CUR? You think we should ALLOW him to CELEBRATE with US?!? Don't you remember WHAT **HE** did?? What he DID to YOUR SISTER?? To your _**own MOTHER??**_ And you believe that we should be MERCIFUL?!?! You BRAT. I wish that you'd have died instead of your sister." The last sentence was bitter and full of malice.

Jawhar drew in a breath and clenched his eyes shut. That bit hurt the most………he could handle the beatings, he could handle the slaps, but what he couldn't handle were words and sentences like that. There was nothing he could say in the face of that. There was nothing that anyone could say. Words like that weren't made to be said, they weren't made to be that hurtful. A father should never say anything like that to his last remaining offspring.

And suddenly the world is a cold, unforgiving place because words are said and can't be unsaid.

"STOP IT!" A trembling yet strong voice cut through the shocked silence. "Stop!" 

Everybody watched in shocked astonishment as Ardeth stumbled between father and son, just like Jawhar had done for him.

"You shouldn't hurt him! He's your son!" Ardeth's words were slurred yet strong.

"SILENCE CUR!" Ruwaid lunged forward menacingly but because of the alcohol haze obscuring his vision and senses, Ardeth did not flinch. 

"You shouldn't say things like that! You shouldn't!" A hysterical note had entered the teenager's voice as the alcohol overpowered his common sense. 

With a snarl Ruwaid kicked the teenager out of the way and yelled, "I'LL DO WHAT I WISH! I **AM** their **_LEADER!_**"

With suicidal non-thought Ardeth muttered, "But not mine."

The warriors drew back even more but instead of Ruwaid exploding even further, he just glowered at the Med-Jai and growled. Then in a quick movement, he roughly grabbed the Med-Jai and ignoring the boy's cries, dragged him back to his stake and shackled him once again. Ardeth pulled ineffectively at the chain and Ruwaid slapped him in annoyance. 

Then the chief stalked back to the campfire where his son was shakily getting up. He grabbed his son by his hair and twisted viciously, feeling the writhe in pain under his hand and faintly hearing his son's cries. "You believe you know what's BEST? You think that you know what to do? You have sympathy FOR THE MED-JAI? Then tonight, you shall sleep with the dogs my son. You shall sleep next to the Med-Jai, for tonight **I DO NOT RECOGNISE YOU AS MY SON."**

Ruwaid dispassionately dragged his son over to where Ardeth lay, watching the scene with horror-filled, brown eyes. Then with a quick movement, he threw Jawhar to the ground and watched with a neutral expression as Jawhar's head impacted heavily with a stone and the boy slid to a stop, unmoving, unconscious. 

Then turning to the soldiers he spoke, his voice cold and void of all emotion, "Give the slave bandages, water and cleaning ointments. We do not need his wounds to become infected. I have further use for him yet. No one touches my son. Allah will do his will on my son's wounds. Jawhar must realise his punishment. _DO you understand?"_ The last sentence was strong, the sentence telling how the future would be, as if his commandments had been written in stone itself. If the warriors had been in the right frame of mind to listen, they might've heard the undertones of the sentence promising serious consequences to anyone that didn't obey the orders.

As one, the warriors nodded. After all, Ruwaid was their leader. What was the point of a leader, if he did not lead? They would, they must follow their leader.

Despite how strange and cruel some of his orders seemed to be.


	13. A near trampling

**Hahaha! Another chappie! And you didn't have to wait long at all! And its even long! (sorry, bout all my short chappies). And did you notice wat i did in the last chaper? I lifted lines straight out of TMR and slotted them in! And i figured, you know that slight pause before Ardeth agrees to help the Rick and Evy search for Alex? Ardeth was remembering his time away from his parents! DA-DA! *fanfare* Hows that for twisting the plot?**

Siri: Sorry, i am too lazy to write out your whole long name....I'm afriad i hardly actually read TM stories nemore, but i remember ages ago coming across a pretty long, 1 chapter, story set in Ardeth's childhood. No romance at all in it, but i can't find it....And i can tell you now, there is no REAL romance in this. No kissing of nething like that. Ergh.

**Nakhti:** Well, basically, i'm mean. And he was drunk, but they were all drunk....hey! Would you take advantage of a drunk Ardeth? A youngish Ardeth? An 18y.o. Ardeth *roz has a vision of an 18yo Ardeth clubbin* Nah, doens't work. But nah, the village won't be attacked. Ardeth is pretty old in TM. No one has parents there. But no, I'm afriad Hashim won't be dying in this fic. I'm not that mean! Zen's popped out a kid, no longer pregnant! Fair game! *roz throws up* Jawhar and Ardeth kind come to an alliance....but, you'll see.

**Medjaiangel:** *roz waves hand like a conducter to the music* I'm glad you like it! And heres another chappie!

**** 

Ardeth couldn't believe what had just transpired in front of him. 

After a while, the guards brought him bandages, water and healing ointment but they carefully side-stepped around Jawhar, almost afraid to let their skin touch him. They dropped the gear in front of the boy, gave him a pointed look and left.

Ardeth crawled forward, and wincing as some of the movements caused some pain, gathered the herbs and bandages towards him. His eyes widened as he recognised some of the more precious and rarer herbs. They certainly didn't want him dying sometime soon. The very thought worried Ardeth.

Ardeth sat back and as he unwound a bandage his eye fell on the still form of Jawhar. Ardeth still had a hard time coming to terms with what Ruwaid, a father, could've done to his own son. And most of all, Ardeth couldn't believe that Jawhar had stood up for him. Even when drunk. Was it possible that Jawhar didn't hate him? _I remember the warriors saying that the truth tends to come out when you're drunk. _

Ardeth looked down at the bandage in his hand, and then up at Jawhar. He sighed and then crawled over the still boy. With delicate care, he smoothed the boy's hair back and with another sigh, he began to tend to many of the Sami-Nhir's wounds. 

__

He did save me and tonight should've been a night of celebration, Ardeth surmised. Without even bothering to look around to see who could be watching him, Ardeth took off the boy's tunic and lathered on soothing ointment onto the deep bruises that the kicks had caused before tightly binding his ribs in case Jawhar had any broken bones. 

Hours passed and Ardeth was kept busy cleaning and tending all of Jawhar's wounds. His father had been cruel. The wound on the back of his head worried Ardeth as Jawhar's hair was matted with blood but the most that the Med-Jai could do was wash away the blood and bind the wound. Hopefully, it wasn't a serious injury. 

Finally, Ardeth was finished and exhaustedly he leaned back and surveyed his handiwork. He smiled at the still unconscious form and then turned to tend to his wounds. Unfortunately, Ardeth had already used most of the bandages and ointment on the Sami-Nhir so he could only do some of his most severe injuries. Even so, most of the water had been used on Jawhar as well, so Ardeth's own wounds were not really cleaned that well but the Med-Jai did not regret his decision. 

The sun was rising by the time that Jawhar stirred. The first thing he realised was that he had a splitting headache. The second was that his wounds had been bound and all his injuries had been tended to. He could even smell the scent of some of the more potent herbs. _But, my father would not tend to my wounds. He would've made sure that no one would tend to my wounds. That's what happened last time. _

He looked up, into the frank, dark brown eyes of the Med-Jai. He saw how well tended to his wounds were, and he saw how neglected Bay's wounds were. He then noticed the pile of dirty and small snippets of bandages that couldn't have been used that were sitting beside the Med-Jai.

In a flash of insight, Jawhar realised what had happened. The Med-Jai had tended to Jawhar's wounds, neglecting his own. Jawhar took a deep breath, despite the fact it hurt his chest to do so. Then he spoke.

"Did you do this?" Jawhar asked, nodding in the direction of his bandages.

The boy nodded.

Jawhar swallowed, _No stranger has ever done that for me before_, and moistened his lips, "Did he order everyone to not touch me?"

The boy nodded again.

"He is the leader. Why did you disobey him?"

"Because as I said before, he is not my leader." Jawhar jumped as the boy spoke, his voice soft yet rough. 

Jawhar nodded slowly and moistened his lips again. Then hestitantly, he went to say something but stopped as the Med-Jai's facial expressions changed from calmed patience to dread and fear. The slight smile that had been on Ardeth's face waned. 

The Med-Jai turned away, to look beyond Jawhar, no longer meeting the Sami-Nhir's eyes like a slave should. The smile faded from his lips and only desolation, despair and pain entered his eyes as they focussed on something that Jawhar couldn't see behind him.

As Jawhar turned around to see what the Med-Jai could see, a voice rang out across the small clearing as the warriors stepped into the clearing and advanced menacingly towards the prisoner.

"Did you touch the chief's son? DID YOU?" One of the men grabbed Ardeth roughly before throwing him back to the ground in disgust, "His wounds are clean while yours are not! You heard the orders! We know what you did! You WILL be PUNISHED!"

Ardeth flinched as the man's hand came flying towards him but it suddenly stopped as Jawhar once again stood in between them. 

The Sami-Nhir's voice was like ice and he snapped, "I tended to MY OWN wounds _thankyou_. I woke up in time to see the Med-Jai cur helping himself to the medical provisions, so naturally I took them from him by force. Now, father has plans for him so you will leave him alone."

Reaching down, Jawhar unshackled the boy, roughly turned him around and shoved him away from him. Then with contempt in his voice he yelled, "Get back to work slave!" And gave him a small kick to his backside that made Ardeth stumble. 

Ardeth turned around, pain and resignation in his eyes as he beheld his apparent betrayal but managed to see the pleading and sorrow etched into Jawhar's eyes as he silently apologised for his rough treatment. Cruel to be kind. If Jawhar acted rough with the Med-Jai, the Sami-Nhir might leave him alone for a while. 

"GO!" The steely voice cut through the warriors and as one, they bowed hurriedly and left. Jawhar nodded again to the Med-Jai, and then turned around and left.

Ardeth sighed and winced as his muscles protested. _Back to work, always back to work. Am I ever going to be able to go home? I want to go home. I need to go home_. This place was slowly killing him, Ardeth knew this. He knew that everyday he stayed there, he grew weaker in both physical strength and mental strength. He knew that his spiritual life force was fading away. 

And once it had all drained away, there would be no hope left.

**** 

Days passed and things changed slightly between Jawhar and Ardeth. While they didn't become closer, Jawhar didn't say anything either. He no longer taunted the boy, no longer tripped him up when he went past, he just treated Ardeth with indifference. He was beginning to no longer treat Ardeth as an enemy, instead almost as an equal. 

Then something happened that shattered all that.

**** 

Ardeth looked up from the work that he was doing and wiped his arm across his brow, the sweat was running down into his eyes and it was making it hard to work. 

He looked once again around him and still couldn't believe that he was stuck in this hell hole. In the enemy's camp so to speak. Everywhere he went, the men glared and threw insults at him. Sometimes that wasn't the only thing that they threw. He winced as the flexed his arm. There was a gash running all the way down his forearm, a still sluggishly bleeding slit extending from wrist to elbow. 

When he had been walking down the street, head down as instructed, a couple of warriors had stumbled out from wherever they had been hiding and had swerved their way across to him, coming to a stop in front of him and shouting. They were obviously blindingly drunk and didn't take a liking to the Med-Jai at all. They hurled insults at him regarding his mother, his father and any other members of his family and friends. 

Ardeth had tried his best to ignore them but when an insult about his mother got too graphic and too demoralising he had turned suddenly and stared them down. But they hadn't backed down – they were too drunk to notice anything except that the Med-Jai was being rude. They had gotten very angry very quickly. 

In hindsight, they had moved very quickly for drunken men. One of them had rushed him and the other had swung his bottle around, smashing it savagely onto the ground. At a word, the man roughing him up and pulled back and with Ardeth off balance and unprepared the other man had thrown the bottle at his face. It was only luck and his quick reflexes that had saved Ardeth from having half his face torn off. He had put his arm up to ward off the bottle and unluckily a jagged end had caught him in his wrist. The man who had rushed him, had been waiting and as soon as the bottle reached their prey they lunged forward and before Ardeth had managed to slip out of their grasp, one of the men (in the confusion, Ardeth couldn't remember exactly which one) had grabbed the broken bottle and pulled it down his arm, slicing deep and eliciting a cry of pain from their prisoner. 

The next part was all jumbled and hazy. He couldn't remember how he had escaped without any more cuts or how he had come to be where he was standing now but it had seemed that he had opened his eyes, and there he was.

It was a good enough explanation for now.

The place was pretty much deserted except for lone Zen. Ardeth shivered as he felt her sightless eyes staring at him. He couldn't believe that anyone could've done such a horrible thing to such a beautiful girl, how could anyone be so heartless? 

He just **couldn't** believe that his tribe was responsible for this. It wasn't what Med-Jai do. They didn't interfere with other tribes, they just kept to themselves and did their own thing, watching over The Creature. In reality, they were quite peaceful.

They wouldn't have massacred a whole village, just for food. They wouldn't have massacred a village. His father wouldn't have ordered such a thing, would he? Horrible uncertainty flickered through his mind before he clamped down on such a horrible thought and dismissed it. His father **wouldn't** do such a thing. He was a good man.

The ground trembled slightly beneath his feet and with his enhanced training and hunting skills Ardeth recognised it as a horse and rider coming towards them at a full gallop, but far away for the moment.

Ardeth was still thinking about the blame that had been placed on the village as he worked when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Zen had stood up. Her hand reached blindly for her stick and she grasped it steadily. Once again, her sightless eyes meet his and Ardeth felt a shiver run up his back. Her eyes were cloudy, opaque and sightless, yet, he felt like she could see right into his soul, felt like she knew everything that he was feeling before he did. It was a scary feeling. Someone knowing his soul, his core, his very essence. 

He watched with interest as she gracefully and without falter stepped daintily onto the 'road' (for want of a better word) and walked slowly but steadily towards him. The pounding grew louder. Ardeth was falling into her eyes. One step. Her eyes never left his – how did she know where to look? Sound of distant drumming reached his ears. She took another step forward. Her bright, blue eyes hypnotised him, the sway of her hips had him entranced. The ground was physically moving, rocks rattling slightly. The world was moving as she took another step forward, her lithe body positioned in the middle of the road. There was the jingling of a harness and something kicked in Ardeth's mind for attention. She paused for a moment, one foot in position of leaving the ground and turned her eyes away from his, a quizzical look lining her face. Pounding. Jingling. There was something…….there was something that Ardeth was supposed to remember…….remember……

****

THE HORSE!! Ardeth snapped out of hypnotised state just as the horse and its rider rounded the corner and thundered down the road, the horse foaming at the mouth and the rider not even trying to stop his beast as he rushed towards the blind girl on the road. 

There was no time for thought, no time for anything.

Zen's eyes widened in surprise and horror as she realised what was happening but she was too shocked to do anything.

Ardeth leapt forward and without even thinking about his own safety, cannoned into her and because Allah smiled on him that day, he just managed to push her out of the way and then…….everything was a confused whirl. 

Ardeth had the unpleasant sensation of hearing the thumps of hooves right beside his head, feeling the heat radiating off the animal as it galloped past and felt generally battered. 

Had he been trampled? Ardeth got up slowly and tested his body. Everything that moved, moved. He felt sore but then……..who wouldn't? Zen! What about her? It said a lot about his confused state that he spent around 5 seconds frantically searching for the girl around him before realising that he was, indeed, sitting on top of her. Her blank eyes were locked on his and she was panting. 

Ardeths hands were on her shoulders, in effect pinning her down from when he had shielded her from the horse with his body. He realised that he must look like an idiot, sitting there staring at this girl below him, not that she could see anything anyway. 

The teenager moistened his lips and asked in a croaky voice, "Are you okay?"

Zen didn't answer his question but asked another, "Who was that?"

Ardeth thought back to that confused jumble when he might have been under the horses hooves. The heat, the hooves and…..and….a voice! A flying insult. Ardeth knew that voice well. He sighed, "That was Shahin."

Zen stiffened beneath him, "Shahin? You're lying. You lying Med-Jai bastard! He would NEVER do a thing like that! You…….you…..you're blaming him for something that he hasn't done! He is a warrior of the Sami-Nhir NOT the murdering Med-Jai. It's all your fault! It all happened because of you!"

Ardeth was silenced by shock at Zen's accusations. "But, but! How can it be my fault Zen?"

"DON"T TALK TO ME FILTHY MED-JAI! You pushed me IN FRONT of the horse! I was going to be fine! It wasn't going to harm me!"

"He was going to _trample_ you!" Ardeth couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"He would've moved for me! In fact, they did move out of the way for me, and then YOU pushed me under it's hooves. You tried to murder me! GET OFF! GET OFF ME!" Zen was struggling now, trying to pick herself up off the ground.

Ardeth was still too shocked to move. He sat upon her hips, his minds struggling to comes to term at what the girl had accused him of. "I would n-never hurt you Zen."

But the blind girl didn't want to listen to him. She was becoming hysterical as memories flooded back about people holding her down. Zen opened her mouth into a bloodcurdling scream. "GET OFF ME! GET OFF! HELP ME!! HELP! **THE MED-JAI IS ATTACKING ME!"**

In no time at all, the deserted street seemed to be full of snarling Sami-Nhir taking in the sight of the hated Med-Jai pinning their last remaining girl to the ground. Her clothes were ripped and the Med-Jai teenager still had his hands holding her down. 

It didn't look good. Not good at all. 

"No! No! Its not what it looks like! I swear! Please……"Ardeth pleaded to make them listen to the real story.

"Filthy bastard!" Jawhar had miraculously appeared at his side. 

"Jawhar! Can you explain----" Ardeth sighed in relief as the chief's son came to stand beside him. He failed to see the look of rage upon his face.

"GET OFF HER!" Jawhar screamed and with inhuman strength bound of anger, grabbed the boy by his black hair and yanked him off the girl. Ardeth cried out in pain and writhed in an effort to get away from the raging teenager. Jawhar dumped him onto the ground and without hesitation, laid into the boy, his kicks and punches thudding into the Med-Jai's body. All the while, he kept his angry commentary up: "Filthy Med-Jai. Once a Med-Jai always a Med-Jai. Trying to rape a blind girl. MY girl! How dare you! **How dare you!** You fucking bastard! And to think, I was beginning to trust you, to listen to you, to _treat you like an **equal."**_

Ardeth curled up into a little ball, his hands and arms protecting his head while hoping that Jawhar wouldn't deliver a direct kick to his kidneys. _I didn't do it. I didn't. Believe me._ He pleaded with his attacker silently. But he knew it was hopeless. They believed that he had done it and they wouldn't believe otherwise. 

After about a minute, Jawhar gave up on his frenzied assault and turned his hand to the shocked girl who had watched the whole thing with horrified unseeing eyes. 

"Oh Zen! I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to help you, to protect you. Oh may Allah strike me down where I stand for my laziness." Jawhar fell to his knees in front of the shaking girl. Mistaking her shaking for shock, he took off his robes and wrapped it around her torn shoulders – the impact to the ground grazing her pale skin. He continued to babble, while Ardeth wheezed softly in an effort to force air back into his aching lungs from his foetal position on the ground. 

"Did he touch you? Did he hurt you? Oh, my darling, beautiful Zen. I am so sorry. How dare he even touch you. If I had've been there, trust me, I would've killed him before I would've let him touch you." Jawhar enveloped the still trembling girl in a hug, burying his face in her hair, smelling the dust. 

Oh, how much he loved this precious human, this beautifully stunning girl. Ever since his sister had introduced her friend to him, he had known that there was something special between them. They had always been more then friends, even before they'd realised what being more meant. To think that he'd almost lost her, to think that the Med-Jai had almost violated her…….again made Jawhar mad. Mad him insanely mad. He'd see that the teenager was punished for this. 

Zen was sobbing into Jawhar's robe, smelling his scent as her tears mingled with the coarse fabric of his robe. She could still feel the boys hands on her and they had brought back memories. Memories that she thought had been buried. Buried deep down away. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried to forget, she could never **ever** forget. Even when she was alone with Jawhar, she flinched whenever he touched her and pulled away from his caresses. 

Jawhar took her tears to cement the Med-Jai's guilt and with stony, hatred-filled eyes turned to the other Sami-Nhir standing around, "Take the _Med-Jai_ away. Give him to Shahin for punishment."

Ardeth's blood ran cold as he heard the name. No. Not Shahin. He knew that Shahin would take pleasure in making him scream. Shahin would strive to make him scream. He wouldn't be able to take it. He would end up begging for mercy. NO! He wouldn't! He was a Med-Jai! He would NEVER bow down to them. But Allah, he was scared. He could still remember the look in Shahin's eyes, he could still hear the threat……..

"Uh, Jawhar, Shahin has just left the village on an errand." One of the Sami-Nhir spoke out nervously. He had never seen the chief's son so murderous, except after the slaughter of course. _Everyone_ had been murderous after the massacre. 

"Then take him away, chain him up somewhere. Take out any anger on him if you want. He will just have to wait till Shahin returns. He will wait and dread his punishment. How long before Shahin returns?"

"Uhm….well, he said he should be back in a day." One of the men scratched his chin reflectively.

"Good. The Med-Jai will have no food or water till he returns. Take him away." Jawhar turned his back on the excited cries and growing bloodlust behind him and gently picked up Zen to walk away.

Ardeth felt himself trembling as the men closed up around him. They were getting closer, closer. He could just see Jawhar's back. Zen was looking at him with a tear-stained face over Jawhar's shoulder, her face betraying nothing – showing no emotion. How could she have done this to him? How? He had only tried to save her. And look where it had gotten him. She was so pretty though. He knew that if he had another chance, to let her be trampled to death in front of him or to save her and let himself be punished, he knew that he would do it all over again. 

A man stepped forward and squatted down on his heels, his body blocking the way of Jawhar's retreating form. He grabbed the boy none-too-gently by the hair and yanked it up to look at the boy. "Well, well, well. Looks like you seriously pissed off the chief's son and we get to do whatever we want with you for a while. Did I ever tell you that you Med-Jai killed my 2 little boys and took away my wife? I found her battered body around 5 kilometres away. She had died of internal haemorrhage."

To his anger and horror, Ardeth found himself trembling. Strength and courage. Hold your head up high. Make your father proud. "B-but I didn't……..we didn't do that! It's not our fault! Please……!" Ardeth's pleas fell on deaf ears as the man's face hardened and his fist tightened. Tears of pain sprung to the boys eyes and the man suddenly thrust the boy's head back into the sand and stood up and spat on the prone body. 

"Accursed Med-Jai. Under Allah, by my murdered wife and children, I demand revenge and I will seek it. With _pleasure_." The man sneered and everyone grinned maliciously and moved in for the kill.

Ardeth closed his eyes and prayed. _Allah give me strength._

Zen heard the cries of pain and the sound of flesh hitting flesh as she clung to Jawhar's robe. Jawhar noticed her distress and shifted her gently so that he could look into her opaque, blue eyes. "Do you want to stay?"

"No." She whispered softly and buried her head again, the last word coming out muffled and choked, "Thankyou." Her inner turmoil was boiling as she was torn in half by her conscience. 

_He didn't do anything to you! You know that! He pushed you out of the way of a galloping horse that would've killed you! This is how you repay him? _

He does deserve it. He's a Med-Jai. He killed all my friends and raped me. 

__

But **he** didn't.

A strangled cry split the air behind her and the men laughed as they tried to make the boy scream more. 

"P-please Jawhar. Let's just go. I need to lie down. I need……" Her voice trailed off. 

"Oh." Jawhar nodded understandingly and sped up, "Brings back memories?"

How could she explain it to him? "Yes." She clenched her eyes shut as another cry was wrenched out of the boy. "It brings back memories."

**** 

**Next chappie will be up soon! Please review for me! You guys are the best!**


	14. Punishment and a promise

**And here is another chapter! You notice they're coming reguarly now? Yes, thats right. The story is finished! So every second day, you'll get a chapter. *give best politician grin* I promise! Ohhh, it gets exciting!**

Trin:*waggles finger* Shhhh! Keep it to urself! Shahin has a major part to play yet! And you'll spoil the plot! *grimaces* thats the problem with having smart people read your stories, they always guess the plot!!

**Siri:** Updated! *chaching!* Every 2nd day, a new chappie will be up!

**Medjaiangel:** Yeah, the Sami-Nhir are so frustating that you just wish they'd....they'd.....fall off a cliff!

**Nakhti:** Its ok! All your really long reviews at the beginnin makes up for your tiredness! You're still a cool reviewer! "filthy heathen pig dog scum" nice! I gotta remember that one! And aren't u glad i didn't portray u as Zen? And yes, she is creepy, not your regular Mary-Sue hey? But don't worry, you might like what happens to her later....maybe....And guess what? The Sabre Dance is in the next chappie!

**And heres the next chappie! I didn't write the beating scene because, well, i don't think i could...after all..he's already been through a lot, its different but i hope u like it.**

**** 

Shahin stopped his horse on a dune overlooking the Sami-Nhir village and watched with pleasure as he saw the Sami-Nhir mistakenly attack the boy. It was a pity he had missed the girl.

_Oh well, her time will come_, Shahin surmised confidently, as if placing an internal note to himself in his mind to execute Zen. 

Back to business. Shahin wheeled his horse around and galloped away into the desert. Hour after hour, neither man nor horse rested. Admittedly, the pace altered now and again, but never completely stopped.

Then slowly, slowly, man and horse slowed down until the horse was only walking. Shahin guided his horse to climb up to the top of a dune and then halted the creature, where it stood panting heavily. He had reached his destination.

Below him, the almost bleched white bones of Ardeth's horse lay. After only about 2 weeks in the desert, its bones had been picked clean of all and any meat – vultures were the disposers of the desert. The sun had bleached the bones, well, bone white and any skin that had been left behind had gone all leathery and wrinkly. 

But the main thing that Shahin was looking for, was not present. Shahin smiled lazily, his canines showing.

The message that had been left behind was gone. And the stone that had been holding it down had moved from its last position. There was also disturbance in the sand that could've been caused by people's feet moving through the sand. No sandstorm had touched the place yet.

That meant that the Med-Jai had received the Sami-Nhir message about Ardeth's capture. 

Shahin turned to leave but stopped suddenly, something on the distant horizon catching his eye.

A lizard smile scuttled across Shahin's face as he wheeled his horse around and galloped back the way he had come.

For, on the horizon, a cloud of dust and sand was rising, indicating that not only Hashim Bay was travelling towards the Sami-Nhir camp, but judging by the size of the dustcloud, all his able warriors were accompanying him.

It would certainly make things more interesting.

**** 

Ardeth sat with his knees drawn up to his chin, despairing. He was going to be beaten, beaten to within an inch of his life. Shahin would see that it was painful, Shahin was going to make him scream, Shahin was going to make sure there was blood. Lots of it. 

_I'm going to die in this camp and I can't do anything about it._ Ardeth hugged his knees closer and suppressed the urge to start sobbing. _There is nothing I can do, nothing I can do about it. I'm going to die in this camp, everyone hating me. I'm gong to die, alone and unloved. I'm going to die hated. People are going to rejoice when I die. Somehow, I never thought that it'd end this way._

Ardeth pressed his face into his knees and his hair flopped down over his eyes, hiding the boy from prying eyes – from his perspective. But then slowly, he raised his head, the light of hope entering his eyes.

__

There IS something I can do, he thought and then brightened up. _I can…..I can escape! I'm going to escape!_

He looked around him but no one was paying attention to him. He was shackled to his stake and so everyone thought that he was safe. Shahin wasn't due back until the next day. That left Ardeth the night time to leave.

Day passed in a blur as Ardeth thought up his escape. Then night came and he put his plan into action. Under the cover of darkness and asleep guards, he managed to wriggle the stake out of the ground. Then he managed to unloop the chain from the stake. There was no way that he could cut the chain off from the shackle, and just allowing it to dangle loose would make a lot of noise as he moved, and probably wake up the guards. 

So Ardeth quietly ripped some of his robe up and carefully wrapped it around the chain and then wrapped the chain around his leg, making sure there was clothe between the chain so that it wouldn't clink when he moved, and then he tied the clothe to his leg, so that the chain was now wrapped around his ankle and wouldn't move. 

Then using the stealth that had been taught to him from a very young age, Ardeth left the camp. He rejoiced, feeling the fresh night air on his face and the sand under his feet. Not the worn sand of the camp, but the soft sand of the desert. The desert was okay, he knew how to survive in the desert in a certain way. _I'm going to make it home! I'm going home!_

About 300 metres from the camp, Ardeth stumbled over and activated a trip wire. He thought he'd just stumbled over a rock in the darkness.

Two hours later after a lengthy pursuit, Ardeth was dragged back to the camp. 

**** 

The next day, Shahin returned and the punishment for escaping and the assault on Zen took place.

Zen watched them lead the boy away past her, on his way to the clearing where Shahin waited with a look of malicious pleasure on his face. The boy was afraid. He was more then afraid. He was terrified. She could almost taste the fear flowing from the boy. She could hear the jeering of the crowd and the boy was led by Jawhar to be punished. To be tortured. And the boy was afraid.

He knew that Shahin hated him, he knew that the whole tribe hated him and wished him dead. He knew that the punishment was going to be long, and he knew that it was going to be painful. His face was pale with strain and he had black bags under his eyes from not sleeping the night before, after his capture. After his recapture, none of the warriors had touched him, they had been ordered not to lay a finger on him as he was going to receive his 'just rewards' the next day with Shahin.

Jawhar was muttering hurtful comments to Bay as he walked the boy along. Zen softly shook her head. This wasn't right. In the old day, something like this never would've happened. And half of it was her fault.

Her fault. 

Zen clenched her eyes shut and tightened her fists. 

She stayed for the first five minutes but after the first cry had been wrenched from the Med-Jai child, she'd had to leave. She couldn't handle it.

Jawhar watched the whole beating, a neutral expression on his face while inwardly, his emotions confusedly ran rampant. Inwardly, he flinched everytime a vicious blow landed on the boy and his heart wrenched when the boy cried out or screamed. He felt deep guilt when after the whipping, the boy was reducing to gasping breaths between sobbing from the pain. He had never seen the Med-Jai cry before.

__

The Med-Jai is only a child. Younger then me. We are torturing a child. Jawhar felt intensely ashamed of the Sami-Nhir's actions but only had to think back to Zen to get angry again. But……..but…..every time he looked at the stricken boy, his anger washed away. Jawhar was so confused. He didn't know what to feel or what to think.

Many of the warriors left halfway through the beating, not being able to watch the sadistic scene. The ones left had sighed in relief for the boy, when after a particularly severe blow, Ardeth had collapsed unconscious. 

Finally, the boy was granted some serenity and a painless, even if it had to be the dark, dreamless sleep of oblivion.

**** 

The boy hung from his bonds in the middle of the camp. He was still unconscious, his head bowed down on his chest, his black hair covering his face. In his dreamless sleep, the boy looked a whole lot younger then his 18 years. His face was incredibly pale, his dark tattoos contrasting starkly with his skin. 

As Zen slowly crept closer to the boy she gently reached forward and touched him, almost jumping in shock as she felt his cold and clammy skin. 

She looked around fearfully, all her senses alert to compensate for her blindness, but she might as well have not bothered. It was night-time and everyone was either asleep or drunk. She had wanted to speak to the Med-Jai but she knew how much Jawhar hated the boy, and how much it would anger him to hear that she had gone to the boy without his protection. But she had the right to a private conversation with him. After all that his tribe had done……..

Zen let her hand drop and stood silent as more memories came flooding back, and a tear of pain slid down her cheek. But one tear only. Zen did not go for self-pity. 

Hesitantly, she stepped closer and listened intently. His breathing was laboured, raspy and shallow. She could almost hear his silent whimpering, almost see the expression pain sprawled openly across his young face. 

Tentatively, she stretched out her hand again, and touched his face. The skin was cold and clammy to the touch, and covered in a slight sheen of sweat. His face was hot, evidence of the fever racing through his stricken body. As she let her fingers play over his face, she came across a cut along his cheekbone and the boy moved slightly, groaning as she hit a tender spot. She quickly went to move her hand away but she was not quick enough as the boy turned his head and leaned into her caress. Zen stood still in shock but then reality took over and she removed her hand. 

Steadying her heartbeat, she let her fingers check his chest, wincing as he tried to pull away from her gentle probing. She didn't want to cause him anymore pain, she had heard the laughter and then sick silence of the men as they watched his beating, but she had to know how serious his injuries were. She had heard the loud cracks as bones broke and she had heard his screaming. She had heard the snap of the whip, and the sickening sound of leather meeting flesh. Zen knew that the whip that Shahin had used was specially made to cause pain and cut badly into the victim's flesh. He kept it especially soft for that purpose. How ironic, the softer the whip, the more it cut. Most of the men had left halfway through the boy's beating, unable to watch the sadistic scene and the ones watching had almost sighed in relief when the Med-Jai teenager had collapsed unconscious. 

She could feel several broken ribs and she didn't even want to touch his back, terrified of what she'd find. Instead she inspected his hands and found out that he had been bound to a tree with his hands high above his head, the wrists taking most of his bodyweight. The rope that they had used had cut badly into the boy's flesh and Zen could feel the stickiness of the blood seeping into the rope and running down the boy's arms. 

If he was kept bound in this way any longer, he might lose all use of his hands. 

Suddenly, the boy stirred and the girl jumped back terrified but held her ground as she felt the boy struggle to wake up. 

Ardeth tried to force his eyes open, but they just wouldn't co-operate. It felt like lead weights had been tied to his eyelids, and Allah, everything hurt. Everything. Ardeth groaned and cursed whoever had gotten him into this position in the first place. To try and get his mind operating, he tried to concentrate and figure out where all the pain was coming from and what was causing it all. 

His shoulders ached and his wrists had acute pain and a very heavy feel to them. His back screamed and no matter how he moved, it felt like someone had set it on fire. He could hardly breath, he felt like he was stretched out and to breath meant straining his lungs, and it felt like there was a band constricting their movement, and any movement he did make, sent knives of pain stabbing through his chest. His lower abdomen and stomach ached, and it felt like he was having cramps.

__

Okay, that deals with where the pain's coming from, now WHAT caused it? Ardeth questioned himself and still with his eyes closed, put reason to rhyme. The back pains were caused by the whippings. The ache in the shoulders and pain in the wrist indicated that he was bound with his arms over his head. The knives in his chest indicated broken ribs. The ache in his stomach suggested that he had been beaten there.

The beating! Of course!

In a sudden panic, Ardeth's eyes snapped open and he instantly tried to press himself against the tree in an effort to ward off attackers. A big mistake. Ardeth's eyes grew even wider in pain as his back screamed at him as he accidentally pressed his welts against it's rough trunk. He gasped in pain but this just sent his broken ribs off and pain just exploded behind his head. He gasped in an effort to stop the pain but it just caused more pain. 

Zen hesitated, not knowing what to do, but hating to see the boy in so much pain. Hesitantly, she reached up and touched his cheek and Ardeth started, bringing his clouded eyes to bear on her face.

"Zen?!?"

"Sshhhh. Just be still." Zen chastised the injured boy.

"What are you doing here? Jawhar will kill you!" Ardeth spoke quietly and quickly, concern for the girl showing in his voice despite his own problems.

"Med-Jai, be quiet. You are injured." A strict note entered the blind girl's voice.

"You're telling me?" Ardeth sarcastically answered.

"Med-Jai, I must ask……" Zen stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"What do you want Zen? And stop calling me Med-Jai. I do have a name. Please use it. Ardeth Bay. Ardeth."

"I want you to make………a promise to me." Zen felt awkward asking the boy to make a promise, but he needed to. He HAD to.

"A promise? What's the promise first?" Ardeth cautiously enquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"You must promise….er….never to attempt escape again." Zen spoke quickly, knowing that the boy wouldn't agree or wouldn't like that idea.

"What?!? No way! I won't promise that! I can't promise that!" Ardeth was shocked. _How can she ask such a thing of me? _

"Ardeth! Please!" Zen stepped forward, tears shining in her sightless eyes, "You MUST promise me! They'll kill you if you try again! You cannot die! You must not die! If anyone can decide this, then I have the right! Promise me!"

__

She called me Ardeth, the boy sagged in shock against his bonds, "Zen, do you realise what you ask of me?"

"Yes." Her answer was softly spoken. "But, please, you must promise me this. Promise me Bay, son of the Med-Jai! PROMISE!"

Ardeth stood silently contemplating what this would do for him and sighed in resignation. "If it pleases you Zen, then……I promise."

The boy was rewarded with a huge smile from the girl. "Thankyou Ardeth. Trust me, eventually, you will return home."

__

I hope so, I need so, Ardeth mused sadly but spoke instead, a catch in his voice, "I would like that. Now, leave me please. I need to think." 

Zen nodded, but before she left, she reached up, and gently kissed the boy on the forehead, "Get better quickly Bay. And remember your promise." 

Ardeth closed his eyes, committing the touch of her lips on his forehead to memory and when he reopened them, she was gone. He sighed and sagged back down against his bonds.

A promise had been made, and as a honourable Med-Jai, Ardeth would stand by it. 

Even if it would cause his death.

**** 

Shahin stepped into chief's tent and bowed slightly, every nerve in his body hating to bend so. 

"You have news for us Shahin?" Ruwaid asked, his eyes half closed as he surveyed the man in front of him. He had been present for the punishment of the Med-Jai child and had thoroughly approved of the beating. It was just what the child needed to impress his position in the camp. Worthless. 

"Yes my Lord. The message had been taken and indeed, Hashim Bay rides towards us as we speak here in this tent. However-" Here Shahin hesitated, he wasn't sure how Ruwaid would take the news.

"However what?" Ruwaid leaned forward as Mikail, who had been standing silent in the background straightened up. 

"He is riding with all his able warriors."

Ruwaid slouched back into his chair, a frown on his face, while he thought of the consequences. Meanwhile, Mikail drew in a sharp breath and snapped, "How do you know? How can you be sure?" Mikail had been dead-set against the beating of the boy and had tried his best to have it stopped. He had been ignored.

"I have seen the dustcloud. And I have been trained to be able to judge how many ride just by their dustcloud. And from the one I saw, Hashim is travelling with a large group. My guess is that he is bringing every warrior that is ready to fight." Shahin eyed the 2nd in command with dislike and distrust. Mikail echoed the look back.

"And where were you trained this, may I ask?" Mikail questioned the green-eyed man in front of him suspiciously.

In reply, Shahin just smiled lazily and turned to Ruwaid, "What is it that you wish us to do my Lord?"

After a short pause, Ruwaid spoke, "We will ambush them while they ride through the old wadi. They will not be expecting such an action. Every person that is able to fight, will. Every warrior will be in this battle – NO exceptions."

Mikail looked from Shahin to Ruwaid in disbelief, "But my Lord! Every Med-Jai warrior will be riding! They are skilled fighters! They do not know the meaning of surrender! To them, death is not seen as the ending, it is seen as the beginning, they do not fear to die! Even with all our warriors against theirs, we will not win! We cannot win against such odds! We will be defeated!"

Ruwaid abruptly stood up and yelled into his 2nd in command's face, "Then SO BE IT! We shall go down fighting! We may all die but we will take some of them with us to the underworld! And we WILL kill Ardeth, the heir to the Med-Jai and killing as many Med-Jai warriors as we can, we will badly injure the Med-Jai beast. They must be stopped and WE will stop them!"

"We will only end up killing each other! It will only end up with the death of the Sami-Nhir and Med-Jai!" 

"Then we have fulfilled our duty in avenging our brothers, sisters, husbands and wives. We will ambush them at the wadi. I, your leader, HAVE spoken. Now, GO, Mikail and prepare the warriors. Are you going to disobey me?" Ruwaid glared at his 2nd in command, almost daring him to disobey.

Instead, Mikail dropped his eye contact, instead staring at the floor while almost whispering, "It shall be as you have said. I will go now and prepare the troops."

"Good. Well done Shahin, you have our gratitude and you may go as well."

"As you wish my Lord." Shahin bowed again, detesting the very gesture of submission and left. _This IS going to make things more interesting. Things couldn't be going better then if I'd planned them myself._

Suddenly the camp was alive with bustle as the warriors milled around Mikail. At the news heard suddenly the camp air was filled with greasy atmosphere of tension, anxiety and fear. Finally it had come down to this.

The final battle.

**** 

**The tension rises!**


	15. The sabre dance

**Okay, sorry that i didn't update last nite. It was just that i went to a farewell party/BBQ thing and then when i came home dad wanted to watch Terminator 2 on my laptop and then when that finished it was like midnight, so i had to go to sleep. Well, heres this chapter....its a bit strange, i'd be the first to admit it.**

Nakhti: Hey! Guess what! The sabre dance is here! HOORAY!! And if you want, you can be the personification of hope, she's pretty cool and she gets to kiss Ardeth....kinda....My defination of a mary sue is any female OC character that falls in love with the main male character...thats why i call Zen a Mary-Sue. Shes not modelled on me at all. I don't like the name, i don't have chestnut hair, i'm not blind and sure as hell! i'm not pregnant!! Jesus Christ! I'm only 17 AND a GOOD GIRL! *looks around nervously* It's true! True i tell you! Yeah, well, the sabre dance is written for u, so i hope you enjoy this chappie.

**Siri:** Updated! Sorry i'm late though! Please forgive me! 

**MedjaiAngel:** Hopefully, the next couple of chapters get you even more interested! Can't u just see the Sami-Nhir, accidently trippin over their swords and falling off a cliff? hehehe.

**** 

Ardeth sat where he had been told to sit several hours ago and did not move. Very slowly and carefully, he lay down and and curled up, his back to the world, his head laid down upon his hands. For all the world, it almost appeared like the teenager had died where he lay, his body was so still. All that gave the boy away was the slight rise and fall of his side, his ribs showing against the taut brown skin. 

Ardeth was despairing. He was giving up. There was no way that he was going to get out of this camp. He was going to die here. He was never going to see his mother again, nor his father. Tears stung the Med-Jai's eyes. There was so many things that he'd wanted to say to his parents, there were so many things that he wanted to do. He wanted to give Abel a hug and tell her how much he loved her. As the boys grew into men, they tended to withdraw from their mothers, not telling them how much they loved them, no longer 'mummy's little boy'. He'd wanted to thank his father for all the years of wisdom and caring he had imparted onto his son. 

But he was never going to see them again, he was going to die in this camp, a slave. Hated, alone, unloved. 

Ardeth clenched his eyes shut and a tear squeezed out, unwanted. He blinked hastily to stop others from following and started as he saw a dark figure on the edge of his vision. On his peripheral vision. However, as he moved his head to see the figure better, it stayed on the edge of his vision no matter how he turned his head. 

Ardeth sighed deeply and closed his eyes, but the figure seemed to dance behind his lids. The figure was of a dark-skinned girl with dark clothes and black-midnight eyes. Ardeth squeezed his eyes shut and wished her to leave but still the blurry figure stayed, taunting him while being on the edge of his vision.

Ardeth knew what it was, he knew what the figure meant. He knew that he was letting his desperation take him over, he knew that his spiritual soul was waning, that the figure on the edge of his vision would come closer and closer to him, until it engulfed him, and he ceased to live.

Yes, he would exist, his body would breathe and walk, but he would not live. 

Still Ardeth did not care, and the figure became slightly clearer and closer. The Med-Jai's spirit faded further.

**** 

"How much further?" Hashim questioned one of the warriors riding beside him as he anxiously calculated how long his son been under the capture of these strange Sami-Nhir.

"A couple of days sir." The warrior answered shortly while moving in the saddle to accommodate for the awkward movement of his horse navigating down a small dune.

"A couple of days?" Hashim blanched, thinking of what other horrors his son could be facing. "Can we get there any quicker?"

The warrior looked at his leader sympathetically, "I am very sorry to say, but I'm afraid not sir. We are moving as fast as possible."

"Yes, yes. Of course." Hashim narrowed his eyes to stop sand from entering as the horses hooves kicked up sand. "I can only hope that we're not too late."

**** 

Ardeth was rudely awakened from his self-pity stupor by a kick to his legs. 

"Wake up Med-Jai!" A warrior grinned down nervously at the boy and placed the boy's food in front of the teenager. "Eat up! It's probably going to be the last meal you ever have. In fact," The warrior babbled on, his tongue loosened by alcohol, "This meal time is probably going to be the last time that everybody here has a meal." He must've seen the puzzled expression on the boy's face because he spoke further, "Your father rides for you. He comes. And we will fight, oh yes, we will fight." This time, there was a tremor of fear in his voice that came out even under the influence of the alcohol. Then abruptly, the Sami-Nhir turned around and left the bewildered teenager behind.

__

My father comes for me? Is it possible? Is it possible that there is hope? But--- Ardeth faltered, almost too afraid to even begin to hope, _I hoped in the trial, to make the Sami-Nhir see the truth, but the trial was rigged, I hoped to make Jawhar and Zen not hate me, but that hope was shattered. I hoped to escape but that just condemned me even more. Why should I even dare to hope when there is no hope for me?_

Ardeth knew that he was being pessimistic but he was afraid to hope. Another disappointment would break him. The dark figure was so close that it filled the teenager's despairing vision, he could almost feel her taking over his soul, feeling the icy dread that clutched his heart and seeing the deep pit that he had fallen into in his dreams.

Ardeth knew there was only one thing to do. As a child, he'd hated doing this task but if he wanted to be free from his demon, he must do perform the task.

Meditation.

**** 

She glided towards him, a hand outstretched, the fingertips almost seeming to graze the tips of his cheek. Her hair was long and flowing…..her clothes as bright white as the other had been as dark black. Except this one was different from the other one who had been stalking him. This ones face was calm and peaceful, and seemed to have an aura of gentleness around her. Her eyes were big, dark and brown…….deep and rich in colour. 

He realised he was trembling but he had no idea what for. Was he scared? Terrified of the vision that stood before him? She inclined her head to the side, her pale, long blond hair swishing slowly around her head and looked at him. He breathed in a deep shuddering breath and closed his eyes in search of his deeper feelings. This was meditation.

His father and mother had tried to teach him this for many many years but he had been too full of life, too impatient to be able to sit still. There were always things to do, places to go, interesting things to see. He had been a child then…..and now, in all this desolation, despair and heartbreak….he had become a man. Now, he was finally beginning to walk the fields of his mind, now, he was able to go deeper and realise his true feelings. Not the ones that he made up to fool himself, but the ones that ran so deep within his true self, that he could not fool himself. 

Was this the reason why Allah was putting him through this trial? Through this horrid ordeal? Just to teach him how to find himself? To become a man? He was putting him through this JUST FOR THIS?!?! Ardeth was getting angry – he was letting his feelings and emotions take control.

The image in front of his metaphorical self faded.

No! Concentrate! CONCENTRATE! With a level of self-control that earlier had seemed out of his reach, Ardeth managed to still his anger and concentrate on his breathing.

The image became clearer.

Now she was kneeling before him, her eyes looking deep into his own. He shuddered and now knew why he was trembling. It was because he was afraid. He was afraid that she would leave him forever in this black hole that he had created…..in this deep lair he had fallen into. He frantically looked around him to see if the black shadow had followed him into this dream world but even when the black mage did not appear, he continued to panic. Where was it? Was it going to wait until his full concentration was on this image on front of him until it jumped on him and dragged him back down? Would it wait until his back was turned before it stabbed the knife through his ribs into this heart?

[No]. The word wasn't spoken, but Ardeth heard it. His heart stilled and he looked back at the spirit-girl in front of him. Her pale pink lips moved and she spoke again. [She will not harm you here.] It didn't make any sense. Her lips moved and she spoke, but he did not hear it. Yet, he knew what she was saying. Was it real?

Is any of this real?

[It is as real as you make it.] She answered his unasked question. 

He was shocked. "You can hear what I don't say?"

[Only if you want me to hear it.]

"What are you?"

[I am you.]

He was confused. It didn't make sense. None of this made sense. What was he doing here? How did he get here?

[Ardeth Bay. Son of the Chief of the Med-Jai. You are here because you needed to be healed. Your mind took your conscience here so that I could heal you. You needed to understand yourself and you needed to escape from your other mage. You are dreaming. You know this but wish it not.]

"My other mage? Who are you?"

[Yes. Your other mage. You know her well for you have fostered her and unconsciously let her grow until you cannot even control her. She stalks you in your dreams and terrifies your conscience. You know of who I speak. I can tell.]

"The black shadow."

[Yes.]

"Who is she?"

[You know her. You have always known her. She has stalked you ever since you have been able to grasp the concept of her. She is your fear and your terror. Your depression and your cynicism. She is your dark side…..and in this situation, she is killing you slowly.]

"Killing me slowly? I don't understand."

[Ardeth, son of Hashim. You are giving me up, and in giving me up you are giving in to her and she is killing you slowly.]

"How can I be giving you up? I don't even know who you are. Who are you?"

[You know this too. But you do not recognise me so easily, son of the Med-Jai. I am Hope.]

"Hope?? HOPE?!? How can you be hope?"

[I am your personification of Hope. Everyone has a different perception of what Hope is, and I am her for you.]

"I don't understand. Why are you here?"

[All so confusing. So many questions for one so young.] The girl leant forward and gently ran her finger down his cheek. [The main reason why I am here is……..]

"Yes….?"

She leant forward even more and her hair brushed past his cheek, its long, pale strands gliding smoothly past. Ardeth shivered as he caught her scent, a pallid washed-out flowery smell……a smell of lilies and ice roses. [The main reason I am here, is to give you my gift.]

"Y-your gift?" Ardeth's throat constricted, he could feel her every breath on his neck.

[Yes.]

His trembling was more marked, her hair shifting with her every breath, tickling his cheek. "W-what is your g-gift?"

[Myself.]

Ardeth's heart stopped and he drew his breath in sharply and turned to face her. She smiled gently at him, leaned forward and softly placed her lips on his. The kiss was fleeting and soft, almost like a figment of his imagination. Her lips were cold yet warm, her touch sending shivers down his spine. She pulled back and placed her hand on his cheek. 

[Never lose Hope, Ardeth, son of the Med-Jai.] Fluently, she stood up and stepped back, her image fading with every passing second.

"No! Come back! Don't leave me!" Ardeth started panicking as her outline faded even more.

[I will never leave you. I am you. The rest is up to you.]

With a start, Ardeth jolted into his awareness and frantically blinked his eyes, willing them to adjust to the dimness. For a couple of seconds, disorientation took over and the boy anxiously tried to work out where he was. 

He turned his head as he saw a movement in his peripheral vision, and the dark shadow that he thought he had seen morphed back into it's surroundings. For a second he panicked, thinking that his dark mage had come back to haunt him but then his dreaming in meditation came back to him.

Ardeth shook his head slowly, thinking over the strange events. He grinned suddenly. He had finally achieved the deep meditation that him and his parents had tried to teach him, but it had only come to him under these conditions. Was that why he was here? 

And the image that had come to him. His personification of Hope. Whether his mind had subconsciously or consciously made up the image, it's message had been true. 

He had been wallowing in his self-pity and he had been allowing despair to overtake him. If he wished to survive through this ordeal unscathed, then he must remember hope, pull himself together and push his way through. He was the future leader of the Med-Jai for Allah's sake! When he would be chief, surely there would be trials and ordeals far worse then this. Allah was more then likely just testing his performance to see if he would, indeed, make a good chief. His father had taught him since he had been born, and he WOULD NOT fail his father….nor his mother, nor his whole clan.

They would expect and need their future leader to stay strong, and that's what Ardeth would do.

__

Well, it seems that deep meditation does offer some answers…….sometimes, Ardeth surmised as he slowly stood up and stretched his long arms above his head. 

Once again, he thought he could see a shadowy figure stalking him in the corner of his eye, and Ardeth grimaced. He needed to find his centre. He needed to do something that would help balance him and banish his fears. He needed to……to……

Ardeth searched his surrounding and grinned suddenly as he surveyed the warriors asleep around him. They had been assigned there to guard him, but as most of the warriors here, they had gotten their hands on some alcohol from somewhere, and they had fallen into their drunken stupor as soon as the moon had risen in the night sky.

But what interested Ardeth were the guards scimitars lying useless by their sides.

Of course! The Sabre Dance! The warriors back in his home-village had always used and sworn by the Sabre Dance as a physical way of meditation and a wonderful way to centre and calm oneself. 

Even though his beating had only been days ago, the wounds were healing well and after all the ointment, bandages and care that the village healer had shown the boy and his wounds, they hardly bothered the teenager anymore. The beating had been performed to cause pain and to dissuade him from attempting escape again, not to permanently harm. 

Ardeth gingerly stepped forward, making sure that the chain around his ankle didn't clink, and therefore making sure the guards stayed asleep. When they showed to signs of movement, he crept closer with more confidence until he was only mere centimetres away from their sabres. Still the guard showed no signs of movement.

Ardeth could feel himself sweating, his fingers were shaking as they cautiously grasped the hilt of the blade. For a split second, he considered slitting his guard's throats and making another run for it, but no matter what they had done to him, that was just not honourable. It just wasn't right to kill a sleeping man. It was just too easy! Not to mention that he would not break the promise he had made to Zen.

_No matter what the enemy has done to you, **never** sink to their level_, Ardeth remembered the phrase his father had told him with clarity. _If only someone had told this tribe that piece of advice_, Ardeth smirked grimly. 

Ardeth repeated his silent pick pocketing until he was in control of two scimitars. 

He, like all the males in the village had been taught the steps and moves of the Sabre Dance, but he had not perfected the steps, and the dance itself was considered slightly dangerous. If there was a small lapse in concentration, it could result with a dropped blade which could then lead to disastrous consequences. Ardeth could vaguely remember, once when he was a very young child, someone had dropped a blade while doing the Dance and the falling blade had ripped open the artery in his leg, and the man had bled to death. The man had been around 35, indicating that the Dance was dangerous no matter how old you were. 

Ardeth himself had never performed the Dance by himself. He had always had someone to watch over him, to tell him, correct him if he did something wrong. And Ardeth had never used proper weapons before. He had started using sticks, then moved onto slightly sharpened sticks, then onto blunt swords. He carried faintly visible scars of his mistakes. 

Ardeth stepped forward but then cursed as he felt the familiar heaviness of the shackle around his ankle. If he wanted to perform the Dance, the shackle would have to go. Ardeth paled as he thought of what might happen, if he tried to do the Dance with a restraint on his leg. 

The boy knelt down and concentrating fiercely, he slid the tip of the blade into the catch of the shackle. Silence, he needed silence still. With great effort he pushed down on the hilt, forcing the blade to cut through the catch, and yet, keep the noise to a minimum. There was a faint groan as the rusty metal protested against the pressure, and Ardeth squeezed his eyes shut to ease the pain, as the shackle shifted position, and in accordance to reaction laws, dug up into his skin as he pushed down with ever-increasing force. 

Then with a quiet snip, the shackle dropped off and Ardeth released the deep breath that he had not even realised he had been holding. Still kneeling, the boy bent his head and breathing deeply yet silently, he ran his hand down his leg to his ankle, to feel the damage that the shackle had caused to the tender skin. 

His hands came away wet with blood but gentle probing showed that nothing serious had happened, and the shackle had only cut superficially into the boy's ankle, thus the blood explained. 

Ardeth stepped forward, testing out his new-found freedom and none-the-less was surprised when he felt cool air brush past his ankle, long used to the foreign, heavy metal of the shackle. Testing it's strength, he put all his weight on the ankle and was pleased to see that it could easily hold all his weight. Experimentally, he swung a sword around, pivoting on the once-chained ankle and was pleased to hear the quiet hum of the blade slicing through the sky.

Once again, he saw the black mage out of the corner of his eye, but instead of ignoring it like normal, he grinned and thought, "You shall haunt me no longer." 

Then closing his eyes, he slowly swung the swords and stepped gently forward, feeling their weight and equilibrium. Despite their apparent old-age, they were good swords, well made and well balanced. He need not worry about treacherous stability. 

Ardeth concentrated even further and warmed up for the first sequence of the dance. He ran through the steps and swings in his mind, remembering how one led to the other, how the steps wove a pattern themselves, intricate yet simple, uncomplicated yet complex. The dance told a story, each story different and meaningful to each dancer. A dancer bent the dance to tell their own story, the dancer developed their own steps, their own moves to show their own personal meaning.

Ardeth had only watched one complete dance before, and had been entranced by the beauty, anger, passion and rage that it had contained. But of course, the next time the dance was danced, it would be different. They never stayed the same.

Ardeth wasn't even conscious of what he was doing, all he knew was that he had never been at peace within himself……..until now. 

Ardeth stepped forward and pivoted on his foot, swinging the blades low, and letting them skim over the sand, making a soft low humming noise. He then slowly straightened up, twirling the blade slowly and moving it through a flurry of fluid movements that appeared mesmerising to the untrained eye and intricately difficult to the trained eye. He stabbed the blade forward and then in a quick, unexpected movement, did a backflip which he stumbled on the landing but still managed to keep his footwork going through the paces that he had already planned. 

The dance was hard on the body and Ardeth could feel his muscles straining as they tried to keep up the tension on the swords and keep the movement going without letting the momentum take control and get sword meeting sword, or even worse, sword meeting flesh. 

Ardeth cursed as he felt a sword slip slightly and this resulted in a slight nick to his forearm as it passed over lower then expected. The minor flesh wound started bleeding but instead of stopping like he would've been made to, Ardeth gritted his teeth and continued. He knew the rule that had been drilled into him - small wounds can lead to larger wounds – but he ignored it.

Deal with it and dance, Ardeth grinned grimly and altered the dance slightly, but still the movements were fluid and graceful, gently placing one foot in front of the other in perilous positions, putting enormous strain on his ankles and calves, Ardeth wove the blades backwards and forwards, inserting flips and almost ballet style dance moves. 

Ardeth danced the dance of his recent life. He danced his fear, his pain, his love and his passion for life. His footwork showed his determination and his strength, while his swordplay showed his courage and fear. Expressions flitted across the boy's face, ranging from contempt to abject terror. Tears flowed down his cheeks and several times a sword actually sliced one in half on it's journey and the, now, two teardrops continued on their journey to the sands.

Ardeth was not even aware of how much time had passed but before he knew it, the sun was rising in the East, bathing his straining and sweating body in a golden glow. 

Ardeth grimaced as he realised that he had to finish the dance, and thought briefly on how to finish. Giving into his inner self, he closed his eyes, stepped forward on his left leg, did several very complicated moves with his swords in front of him, then went straight into a back flip, before landing spinning around and ending up panting on his knees with his swords crossed over his chest, the intersection placed right over his heart. 

Ardeth opened his eyes and looked into the glorious sunset and just knew, that he was going to get through this. He had never felt so calm. So at peace. So wise and so serious.

He was going to survive this. 

He had just completed his very first Sabre Dance! Given time and experience, the steps would alter and tell a different story, become even more intricate and delicate, but Ardeth Bay had completed his first Sabre Dance. One of the deepest types of battle meditation. 

Ardeth Bay had indeed come of age. His captive stay was giving him knowledge, seriousness and wisdom. He would live to see the end of this. His father, Hashim, would be so proud!

Ardeth couldn't stop smiling even when the guards had woken up, angry at finding themselves swordless with a free prisoner. Ardeth had not stopped smiling even when they had struck him down to the ground and taken their swords back. He had not even stopped smiling when they had sent him away to be punished.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, could steal the Med-Jai teenager's moment of pure, undulated joy. 

For Ardeth Bay, had danced his first Sabre Dance and had indeed become a Med-Jai warrior.

**** 

Ardeth's punishment never came as the Med-Jai warriors arrived at the wadi earlier then expected. However, the Sami-Nhir were ready and the ambush had taken place as planned. 

Many of the Med-Jai had fallen in the ambush but the ones that were left, fought viciously, trying to avenge their dead comrades and retrieve their beloved little leader. However, the Sami-Nhir fought back just as viciously, trying to avenge their beloved deceased. 

It was turning out as Mikail had predicted, at the rate they were going, both tribes were going to kill each other. If the battle continued the way that it was going, then there would be no winner.

**** 

**Please leave me a review and tell me what you think!**


	16. Unleash the hounds of war

**OKay, i'm sorry that these next chapters are going to be short, but its hard to decide where to cut the chapters off.....not too long, not too short. ARGH! But i hope you like them!**

Trin: You are so, like, FORGIVEN! You're such a little angel! You've like, REVIEWED ALMOST ALL MY CHAPTERS! *hugs* You're fantastic and such a good writer too!

**Nakhti:** *sigh* have i told you how much i love your long reviews? Was the sabre dance worth waiting for? I thought u might like being Hope, after all, shes the only one that gets to kiss him....kinda....but when i said you could be her, i obviously didn't model her on you! i have no idea wat u looked like or nothing? i remember writing that piece at school in a study lesson when i was meant to be writing up an essay about the River Murray for Biology. Hehehe. School. *snorts* Hey! I am good! And hes not exactly the one i dream about at nite, and on that subject, stay away from MY 18-year-old ARAGORN! MINE! You can have as much Ardeth arse as you want, you like my ari alone! Yeah, i got the idea of personifying emotions from Terry Pratchett, cause he personifys Death...its soo funny! Yeah, you know whats stupid? It should've been SUNRISE. the guards were ASLEEP. *whacks head* i've screwed up so much in this story....ARGH!!! And you're right, the ambush was rushed, but the fight and the 'end' went for like 30 pages! and i really couldn't be bothered doing more! So i'm lazy! Sue me for all the money i don't have!

**Siri:** *rushes in* NEW CHAPTER!

**Medjaiangel:** *blushes* i so don't deserve that compliment at all. I'm glad you're likin it though. 1 happy person, 100 disgruntled ones....*sigh* can't win them all! No, i'd position the swords so they'd trip over them and if they didn't, push them off the cliff!

**'roo**: Hehehe! Love the name! Fair dinkum mate!! Very Aussie! Heres an update just for you! *aussie drawl* Well, well, well, stone the crows!

**You ready for the twist? Here is comes!**

**** 

They were trapped. They hadn't meant to end up in the front lines like this. Although Jawhar was the chief's son, he had been told explicitedly not to fight. Him, Zen and their child were guarding Ardeth and had been told to find a good hiding spot. After all, they were the last hope for the village. But somehow things had changed and they found themselves caught in the crossfire between the Med-Jai and the Sami-Nhir. 

Jawhar sheltered Zen and the child from anything harmful while at the same time managing to scowl continuously at Ardeth.

"It's all your fault." The clipped angry words were forced out of the Sami-Nhir's mouth. Ardeth did not reply. Nothing he could say would help change the boy's mind. His pleas, even his screams had fallen on deaf ears. Just when he thought that he had won the older man over, something would change, his father would warp him and then things would go back to the way they were - Jawhar hating his eternal soul and wishing to send him to eternal damnation. 

The two warring sides were getting closer to their hiding spot, to their little piece of rubble. Ardeth peered out and saw the faces of the men from both sides. Such waste, such misunderstanding. So many men were dying for…………..for what? For absolutely nothing. 

Another Med-Jai fell. Ardeth remembered when that same man had laughed at his youthful actions. A Sami-Nhir fell. Ardeth remembered that man sneering at the start of his beating and afterwards walking quickly away, looking ill. 

Men fell rapidly from both sides and while Ardeth felt grief for his fellow Med-Jai, he did not derive any pleasure from the fall of the Sami-Nhir. What a complete waste of good men. The reek of cordite hung heavy in the air and the air smelt bitter-sweet of blood, of a thick, almost tangible metallic scent.

Ardeth felt ill.

Then suddenly, he saw him. Ardeth saw his father. After so long, Ardeth laid his eyes on his parent. The man was astride his best battle charger, a large black stallion that had sired Ardeth's own dead horse. He had his scimitar high above his head and was shouting orders to the men around him. The sight of his father made Ardeth's throat constrict and his heard clench painfully in his heart. Finally, after all this time, Ardeth had been granted his wish and prayer – to see his father again. But in these circumstances?

"F-Father….." he whispered reverently, "Father." He repeated it to make himself believe that the image in front of his was not a dream, a nightmare or a mixture of both. 

"What are you saying Bay?" Jawhar snapped.

"My father…" Ardeth was not making any sense to the Sami-Nhir.

"What are going on about freak?"

"My father! It's my father!" Ardeth gamely pointed out his parent, astride his beast.

"Hashim Bay! HASHIM BAY! The Med-Jai chief!! Finally! We have him where we want him! Thankyou Bay! You have received the gratitude of the Sami-Nhir." Jawhar sneered at the shocked boy. Until that minute, Ardeth had not realised that his father did not have his hood drawn over his head just to shield himself from the sun. It was his protection, his camouflage. And his own son, HIS SON, had just given him away. 

"Today, you will watch the Sami-Nhir cut down your beloved, just like the Med-Jai did to ours!" Jawhar gloated.

"No!" Ardeth whispered turning horror-stricken eyes to Jawhar. "You wouldn't!"

"Just watch me." Jawhar turned around to peer at his side. Catching sight of a familiar figure he waved and yelled, "SHAHIN!!! The Med-Jai chief! Take him out! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!" he gesticulated frantically to Hashim, his finger pointing out the solitary fighting figure. 

"NO!" Ardeth's face turned pale as Shahin nodded curtly and grinned viciously. The mass of warriors that had been around Hashim, suddenly disappeared and left the Med-Jai open for an attack. Ardeth lurched to his feet and swung around to face the contemptuous Jawhar. "How could you? _**How could you??**_" The boy's face was screwed up in anxiety and mental agony for his parent. "HOW COULD YOU?"

"He is a murderer." Jawhar stated coldly while holding Zen, who sat quietly crooning to the baby.

"He is my father!" Ardeth's voice choked on a sob as he turned back to gaze out over the gory battle scene. 

Shahin had his rifle pointed at Hashim and was steadying himself for the shot. Eternity passed where Ardeth couldn't do anything. His body froze and his mind panicked. Shahin's finger tightened on the trigger, gradually, gradually. Ardeth saw Shahin's body tense and follow the age-old marksmanship rules. Ardeth remembered learning the very same rules in his childhood. Aim high, tighten grip and just as you pull the trigger breath out and the tip of the rifle will dip slightly and hit the target exactly where you aimed albeit slightly below. Ardeth's mind screamed out all the steps that Shahin was taking but he couldn't move his body to do anything. He watched in ultimate terror.

Shahin breathed in.

The rifle aimed high.

Shahin's grip tightened and he gripped the rifle tighter to his shoulder.

Shahin breathed out.

And pulled the trigger.

A split second before the cordite ignited and the bullet sped out of the barrel, a horse beside Shahin screamed in pain and terror and collapsed sideways, slamming straight into Shahin's mount and spoiling the Sami-Nhir's aim at that last precarious moment. Shahin cursed as he felt the bullet go wide as his horse stumbled. The rider of the unfortunate beast cried out as he got stuck underneath his mount, all the horses weight on his chest, slowing crushing him to death.

The reprieve broke the shocked state that Ardeth was in and wildly and uncomprehending the danger he was in, he scrambled out of the hiding place. Jawhar tried to grab the teenager's ankle on the way past but all it did was trip the boy up and in the Med-Jai's frantic state, Bay didn't even notice the hindrance - quickly stumbling to his feet and ripping his ankle out of Jawhar's grasp.

"What are you doing idiot? You'll be shot!" Jawhar screamed out, his heart fluttering strangely. No matter what he said, he realised that he didn't actually want the boy to die. Well, not in front of him anyway. 

Shahin had dismounted and stood on the ground steadying his rifle for the next shot. Hashim was in plain view, unaware of the danger he was in. Ardeth ran as hard as he could, his feet digging deep into the sand, his muscles propelling through the air which suddenly felt as thick as water. He saw Shahin's finger tightened on the trigger for the second shot and Ardeth knew with horrible clarity that he was not going to make it. There was nothing but him to distract or slam into the sniper but he was a split second away from knocking him over.

Ardeth opened his mouth, and screamed loudly, his voice frightened and terrified. It's ear-shattering volume and nearness made Shahin look around and the expression of surprise would've made Ardeth laugh if it had been any other time but Shahin swung the rifle around to face his attacker and fired.

At such close quarters it would've been impossible to miss. The bullet went through Ardeth, ricocheted off a rock behind him and slammed into the Jawhar and Zen's hiding spot. Ardeth's forward velocity slammed him into Shahin, knocking him over. 

For Jawhar, the scene seemed to have happened in slow motion. Ardeth had ran to Shahin, Shahin had fired and the bullet had gone……..where? He had heard the whine of the bullet as it ricocheted off the rock and suddenly he had been struck with a rock chip from the side of his hiding spot, it had hit him in the cheek, lodging itself deep, alongside the cheekbone. Then there was a shrill shriek through the air as the bullet whined past him – he could feel the windlash as the bullet went past – and a sharp gasp of pain and disbelief from Zen beside him. Ardeth had then slammed into Shahin, knocking him over and pinning him to the sand…………

Ardeth was on top of Shahin? That fool! He knew that Shahin would butcher him as soon as look at him….although……

The bullet had gone through Ardeth, Jawhar was sure of that. He had seen the fleeting expression of surprise and pain and the way that the teenagers body had twisted in the air while still falling towards its target. 

It was more then likely that the teenage Med-Jai, Ardeth Bay, was dead. 

Jawhar felt his heart twist strangely within his chest. The boy couldn't be dead. Not after the whole time that he had survived….he had hung on for so long….and to die so stupidly? So quickly? So painlessly? After all the suffering that he was put through, through the slow physical and mental torture….to die so quickly? 

Probably the best way to go, Jawhar surmised. He couldn't help himself…he had to see. 

Jawhar clumsily stood up and ignoring the slight whimper beside him, walked unsteadily to the opening of their hiding spot. After all, it would be incredibly hard for someone to fire straight into their little cavern. Only a ricochet could accomplish such a feat and that was a million in one chance. 

Leaning lightly upon the wall, he surveyed the desert waste in front of him. The boy was there, lying on the ground – motionless. 

Wait! Something….there was something moving….

Ardeth had never felt so much pain before. His body screamed at him…….Where was he? What was he going here? The boys mind was in a jumble. He couldn't get his thoughts to work properly. And then, in a sudden rush, like a dam bursting, it all came back to him. 

Father….Shahin……the rifle….firing….jumping…..dead?

Was he dead? He couldn't be. Ardeth doubted very much that this much pain could exist in the afterlife. That means…..that he was still alive, with a bullet through him and he was lying on TOP of the man that would take the sadistic pleasure in slowly slitting his throat.

Uh oh. 

"You bastard!" The words were muffled but vehemous nevertheless. Shahin roughly shoved the limp body off him and stood up. With heartfelt swearwords he kicked the boy squarely in the side several times, then gave up and aimed his rifle at the boy. 

Ardeth looked up into the barrel and automatically closed his eyes, not wishing to see the beginning of the metal bullet that would end his life quickly and viciously. 

The bullet never came.

Ardeth slowly screwed upon his eyes, as the sounds of Shahin's vicious mumblings of swearwords reached his ears. Shahin was grappling with the rifle trying to recock it by wresting with the pin. 

The sand had jammed up the rifle.

Ardeth had always been a big believer in Allah but had never actually believed that Allah would actually do something so miraculous and merciful like this. Now, Ardeth _**believed.**_

But he didn't wait after being spared so. Ardeth stumbled to his feet and tried to avoid the enraged Sami-Nhir. Ardeth's side hurt….it hurt so badly. The boy gasped as a sudden spike of pain sent him to his knees. He pressed his hand against his side and forced himself back to his feet. His hand felt slippery, wet and warm……Ardeth took his hand away and stared listlessly at the red blood coating it. He could feel the blood running down his side. He didn't have long before the blood loss would conquer him and he would pass out, Ardeth knew this. Even in his muddled state, he knew he didn't have long. He took a trembling step forward and just as he was getting up the waning energy to run Shahin struck him.

The enraged adult didn't even pull the punch or make it less powerful. Since his rifle was useless he spun it around in his hand and slammed the wooden butt into the boy's head, the force sending the boy flying into the sand a few feet away.

Ardeth's cry was lost in the melee of the battle, a drop amongst the ocean. 

Shahin stalked forward snarling, "You brat! You utter brat! You're going to pay for that. Not even Allah will save you. Nothing will! NOTHING! Your father doesn't even recognise you!" Shahin flung his arm wide open and gestured to the black figure on horseback, fighting and yelling. "I don't care what Ruwaid or Jawhar or even Mikail says. I have my orders and you will die. Yes, you will die. But, you will die the slowest, most treacherous, painful death that I can imagine. Something that will make you wish you had never been reincarnated….never been born. I'm going to kill you slowly in front of your father and for every scream you make, I extract twice as many from the almighty Hashim, _leader of the Med-Jai_."

__

Stop your gloating, Ardeth's panicking brain threw up useless sardonic comments and as scrabbled backwards into the sand, trying futilely to crawl away. 

"How can you do this Shahin? You know what is going to happen! You can see it happening now! The Med-Jai and the Sami-Nhir will eliminate each other! They will keep fighting, their hatred fuelling each other until they all lie dead and or there is a 'victor'. You know that there are **no winners in a wa**-" Ardeth was interrupted as Shahin struck him a vicious blow across his face, sending the boy sprawling onto the sand. 

He then crouched down and roughly grabbed the boy's face, the pressure turning the boy's normally tanned face white where his fingers gripped. The boy's eyes were glazing rapidly……..he wouldn't have much time left. 

If Shahin listened hard enough, he was sure he could hear the sands of the boy's life falling through his hourglass…….and the top bulb was almost empty.

Shahin grinned maniacally, "That's where you're wrong boy. That's where you're very wrong. Because my tribe will be the winner."

__

My tribe? Something was happening, something was not right! "Y-your tribe? But you are part of the Sami-Nhir! That's your tribe fighting out there! That's your tribe dying out there! How can you say that?" Ardeth tried to make his brain work, his eyes focus, his heart keep beating.

"Because I am not part of the Sami-Nhir tribe. My ancestors were once part of the almighty Med-Jai."

**** 

**Tell me what you thought bout that plot twister! And sorry its so short!**


	17. Death and destruction

**Man, this chapter took FOREVER to format! And heres an incentive. I'll give a cookie to anyone that can pick out the line I stole and warped from 1) The Crucible and 2) Terry Pratchett. If you can pick out either of them, i'll.....be very surprised and give you a cookie! Everyone else: Big whoop. How pathetic. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. We're getting SO close to the end! Its making me sad!**

Siri:*g*? Whats that meant to mean? *chaching!* UPDATED! 

**Nakhti:**I think that that'd have to be your longest review so far! my god girl! Are you sneering at me?? o.O I know that Terry Pratchett didn't invent the personification of emotions and ideas, but hes the only person i know to put the twist on it! I mean, Death being the grim reaper skeleton we all know - ok. thats fine. But then making him ride a horse called Binky, secretly like cats and be a depressive? C'mon! Thats just plain funny! And then him trying to raise a 16 year old girl?? Hahaha...makes me laugh thinkin about it! You gotta admire it! Thats definately thinkikn sideways! What did you do to my poor leedle ari?? Bad girl! *whack!* How old are you? Haha, Eomer...hes...the one that...hasacaterpillaracrosshisforeheadthatsmeanttobehiseyebrows? Did i just say that? Whoops! I'm glad someones on the edge of their seat? i think everyone else is just gettin bored by it! You wish you'd written it? Hah! Yeah right! I dont believe you! DAMMIT! you don't miss nething! What happens with Zen comes out in this chappie, u might be happy bout it. *cursecursecurse* you are WAY too perceptive! You're givin everything away!! damn smart people! Cadbury cream egg??? Ex~cu~se me~! yeah, good enough!

**Freakizimi:** You're back!! *hugs!* You're forgiven easily! I mean, what were you meant to do? Wait around for 2 months while i lazed around??? Its partly my fault for takin so long to start uploadin again. You have every right to be proud, your reviews and suggestions helped SO MUCH you wouldn't believe it! And it turns out i got accepted into my course which had a TER of 95.05 which means i got over 95!!! WOOHOO! out of 99.95! Not bad! Not bad at all! Oh! Oh! Can i read ur SW one? I'm in the middle of trying to write my SW one too...Anika and several other ppl that loved my other SW stories are like pushing me to finish it! But i'm stuck! I'll forgive you if i can read ur SW story! Ah well, you're forgiven neway!

**Is the tension getting to you?**

**** 

Jawhar gave a sigh of relief as Ardeth shakily stood up. The boy was still alive.

"Good." Jawhar had seen the devastation that the battle was causing, he could still feel the boy's gentle hands as he bandaged Jawhar's wounds while his own festered.

Jawhar didn't have the toxic hate and anger that ate away his father. He was his father's son, before the demons of hate had taken Ruwaid over. 

Jawhar didn't want the boy to die. And he knew this suddenly and the very knowledge itself was shocking.

He ran back to where he'd left Zen lying, she'd want to know what was happening. She'd want to hear what was going on, she'd want to be comforted. Jawhar couldn't imagine what it'd be like, being blind. Being born blind might've been a bit better as a naturally blind person couldn't lament about the world of colour but Zen had seen it. She had seen the glorious sunsets, pale golden sand and the deep blue sky but all that was lost now in a world of darkness.

Total and utter never-ending blackness.

"Zen! That stupid fool Bay is still alive! He's survived the bullet! He---" Jawhar skidded to a stop as he looked in horror at the young woman. She lay in a crumped position, one arm tightly holding onto the baby the other weakly searching for comfort. Her chest was covered in blood.

"ZEN!!" Jawhar rushed over to her and dropped to his knees, ignoring the shreds of stone ripping through his trousers. "Oh Zen! What happened? Oh Allah! ALLAH!!!" He futilely tried to stem the flow of blood and carefully gathered her into his arms. Her laboured breathing and pained gasps made him release her and hold her more gently. "Oh Zen! Oh Allah no……how could this happen?"

He looked into her unseeing eyes and a sob choked his throat up. She wordlessly put a hand up and he gripped it tightly with his own, larger, calloused hand. "Don't go. Zen, please don't go._ Please."_

"I-I'm sorry Jawhar. I truly am. B-but I'm just….so….t-tired." She looked at him and with her other hand, caressed his face, gently touching his cheeks and lips. "I love you Jawhar. I l-love you so very m-much."

Jawhar had tears streaming down his face, he had not felt pain this heart-wrenching since the massacre. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't be losing Zen, not now. Not after so long, not after being spared. This _**couldn't be happening!**_ It was a nightmare! That's what it HAD to be. He had to be in a nightmare! But the choked sob wrenched from him and the pained gasp and involuntary tightening grip on his hand, told him otherwise.

Zen was dying. But how? How could this have happened????

__

…………He had heard the whine of the bullet as it ricocheted off the rock and suddenly he had been struck with a rock chip from the side of his hiding spot, it had hit him in the cheek, lodging itself deep, alongside the cheekbone. Then there was a shrill shriek through the air as the bullet whined past him – he could feel the windlash as the bullet went past – and a sharp gasp of pain and disbelief from Zen beside him…………..

The ricochet. That's what it had been. Shahin had killed her. 

"Oh Allah. I love you too Zen. Oh Allah, please….please…..Zen, I need you. I love you so much…I really need you. I can't live without you. Please, _**please don't go.**_" Jawhar was openly sobbing, his tears coursing down his face to drip into the pool of blood surrounding the girl.

"I-I know you love me Jawhar. B-but, I have to go. I-I have n-no choice." Zen smiled sadly as Jawhar's grip on her hand tightened. "J-Jawhar…..you m-must look after the child. You must look a-after our l-little…..o-our little Thaqib….our little shooting star. He is the heir and the leader of the Sami-Nhir. You must protect him…..p-protect him from all h-harm."

"No Zen….no…." Jawhar couldn't handle this, she was saying goodbye, making her final wishes known.

"P-promise me J-Jawhar, son of R-Ruwaid! P-prom….p-promise…..me…." Her breathing was getting more laboured and slower. "S-speak!"

"I promise. I promise that I'll look after Thaqib no matter what." Jawhar stroked Zen's hair, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I was not there. I should've been there for you, should've been there protecting you, I should've taken that bullet. I shouldn't have been stupidly staring out the opening….i should've been there, I'm never there for you! I have never been the—" He was stopped by a thin, brown finger placed shakily upon his lips.

"D-don't say that. Y-you have always b-been there for m-me. I-I'm the o-one t-that's sorry for leaving….I'm s-sorry….." Zen slid her hand from his lips up behind his head and pulled his tear-stained face down and gently kissed him, a kiss so soft, it was fleeting. 

Jawhar hesitated before returning it.

Zen's hand slid from behind Jawhar's head to hang motionless by her side and as Jawhar hugged her close one more time she whispered quietly, "I love you."

Then she was gone.

The cry of rage and pain echoed throughout the tiny cavern and out to where a passing sandstorm ripped it apart and flung it around like wolves.

**** 

"W-what do you mean? How can you be part of the Med-Jai?! You're in this tribe! You're in the Sami-Nhir! You'd NEVER be part of the Med-Jai! " Another blow dazed the young boy. 

"_I_ was not. _My ancestors_ were. It was your great grandfather that banished us to the outskirts of the desert. The _outskirts_. Where we were forced to scavenge and starve…..where the weak died and only the strong survived….most of the time by force. We were a great people and your great grandfather ruined us!"

__

Huh?? This was not making sense to Ardeth. "I-I don't understand." He gasped as the pain struck him anew. 

Shahin noticed the boy's grimace and with a grin, slammed the boy onto his back, and roughly ripped Ardeth's shirt up. The teenager struggled weakly but his strength couldn't match Shahin's.

"It hurts doesn't it boy?" Shahin sneered while tightly gripping the boy's wound.

"Y-Yes! Yes it does!" Ardeth gasped and futilely tried to wriggle away. Another cry of pain was wrenched from him as Shahin dug his fingers in. 

"Well it appears that I didn't miss with the rifle. Father always said I was a good shot…..even in difficult circumstances." Shahin gloated while blood covered his fingertips. "It appears that the bullet struck you in---" Shahin thoughtfully probed a bit deeper amidst the teenager's cries, "3rd rib where it's forward velocity broke the rib. It then richocheted onto your 4th rib , incidentally breaking this rib also, and then violently ripped its way out of your body….." Here Shahin roughly clenched the boy's side, "creating a large gaping wound where you're losing….." a low chuckle, "…..quite a lot of blood." 

"T-thank…you f-for that m-medical…..ass…a-assessment…Shahin. A-as….gent..gentle a-as always…." Ardeth tried to stop from blacking out from the pain and control his shivering body as it rapidly sunk into shock. "B-but I did..succeed.

"What? What do you mean you insolent little brat??" Shahin viciously pushed down on the boy's broken ribs and Ardeth bit his lip to stop from crying out. 

"I-I mean…..m-my father…is u-unharmed." Despite his pain, Ardeth grinned at the expression of rage that flitted across the man's face as he realised that where Hashim had once stood, nothing but sand flew in the air, but then was unnerved by the slow, smug smile that filled the man's face. Like a ferocious cat that has just found the cream bowl unguarded. 

"Ha, that's what you'd like to think little Med-Jai. You think you have won the battle don't you? You might've……but let me tell you this. You have lost the war."

"W-what?" Ardeth struggled to come to grips with the information. 

"Yes, that's right little Med-Jai. You have lost the war. And you want to know why? Because the Sami-Nhir and the Med-Jai will fight, to the death. There will be no winner, there never is in a war. You know that. But in _this_ war my tribe and I, we will be the victorious ones."

"I-I do not u-understand!" Ardeth yelled at the mans face, gloating above him, "YOU are part of the SAMI-NHIR! You know that THEY don't stand a CHANCE! Both of our tribes will die! BOTH! And all because of some stupid misunderstanding! H-how can you rejoice?"

Shahin sighed dramatically, "You still do not understand do you? I've already explained this to you. Let me get this straight for you. I _am not_ part of the Sami-Nhir. I _was_ part of the Med-Jai. _We_ were _**banished.**_ By _**your great grandfather.**_ And I have come to avenge our banishment with the blood of the Med-Jai and you. Especially you. And I will enjoy it too."

"B-but…..but….y-you….you are here!" Ardeth's mind was reeling. 

"Ah yes. Well, let's start from the start shall we? And by the time that I've finished telling you this wonderful bedtime story….." Shahin roughly slammed the butt of his rifle into the boy's side, eliciting a cry of pain, "…….you should've bleed to death."

"T-try me" the teenager muttered through clenched teeth.

"Well, in the very beginning, long long time ago, when your great grandfather ruled, my family was part of the Med-Jai tribe. Oh yes, the wonderful, and great peacekeepers of the sand and watcher over The Creature." Shahin chuckled over the frantic look on the child's face, "Oh yes, I know all about The Creature. But we'll get to that later. What really happened was that our family thought differently about certain…….how would you put this?…..._ideas_……then your family did. And of course, since you were _**the Bays**_…." the words were spat out with anger, " of course, everything had to be done your way didn't it. You still with me boy?"

"M-my great grandfather w-wouldn't have banished y-you for a…..conflict in ideas!" Ardeth spoke with confidence, his strong voice belying his ever-growing weakness. 

"Hahaha, little do you know. Well, you could say that our ideas….well….they caused a mutiny within the tribe. There was a fight…..and we were banished."

"W-what was the 'idea'?" Ardeth whispered, almost too afraid to hear the answer.

"It was quite simple. We wanted to awaken The Creature." Shahin spoke simply. 

"W-WHAT?! W-why would you want to do something s-so _stupid??_" 

"Watch your mouth boy." Shahin warned as his anger grew. "With him awake and with us, we could've ruled the sands! What did we use to do? We used to protect those people, those IGNORANT people and what did we get in return? Hate, fear, anger. Other tribes resented us and just waited like vultures, like jackals for our downfall! You see all these people boy?" Shahin waved his hand at the Sami-Nhir fighting around him.

"Yes" Ardeth whispered, the shock of Shahin's story coursing like ice through his veins. 

"These people, the Sami-Nhir, they have hated the Med-Jai for a long time. Ever since there have been Med-Jai and other tribes, there has always been hate and resentment between them. They only needed an event to blow their hatred into the open. All the years it has just been lying dormant under their hidden faces and lidded eyes. They have been what they always were, but now, now they are naked, their hate no longer hidden."

"N-no…..you lie." 

Shahin laughed bitterly, "You're in denial. I saw how you bandaged Jawhar's wounds after his beating – sacrificing your own health but did he thank you? No. And the next time that they came to beat you did he stand up for you? Did he try to stop them? He stood by and watched, or he just left. He gloated and enjoyed watching you writhe in pain. He, like everyone else, hates you."

"No." The reply was so softly spoken, the pained teenager unconfident and in doubt. "No. He didn't get time to than---" The argument was cut off short as Ardeth gasped as a shaft of white hot pain lanced up his side. 

"I doubt that he will thank you for your efforts before you die. Isn't it sad? That all along, you had nothing to do with the village massacre? That you didn't even know what was going on? That this destiny was decided for you, before you were born? That in your own way…..you, in fact, are the one that tried to save the village from it's own self-destruction? And how do they thank you? The continuously beat you and gladly leave you to bleed to death in the middle of the desert. I am _glad, very glad_, that I was given this assignment."

"W-what…..was t-the assignment?" Ardeth was panting in an effort to control the overwhelming pain. 

"Well, it was _my tribe_ that rode into this village and massacred the Sami-Nhir. And Allah, it felt good. But what we didn't realise was that they would instantly think that we were Med-Jai. Of course, we had forgotten about the tattoos that some of the older men had. So, we let them believe it."

Ardeth felt himself slip into shock, this man standing in front of him, had been the one to kill all the villagers and then PRETENDED that it was the Med-Jai who had committed the act. "Y-you _**bastard!"**_

Shahin casually struck the boy, then continued with his 'bedtime story', "Of course I made sure that anyone that had've seen me died. I didn't have the tattoos of the Med-Jai as I was born outside of the Med-Jai camp, so I couldn't be confused as being one of you. I didn't go anywhere near Zen, after I found out they were going to keep her alive. If it had've been me, I just would've killed her……but the chief. The chief had bigger plans. We went back to our village and it sort of filtered back to us that the Sami-Nhir were blaming the whole incident on the Med-Jai. Nothing like prejudices is there?"

"A-Anubis wouldn't e-even……take you as o-one of his m-minions!" 

Shahin ignored the insult and continued, "The chief decided that it would be a good idea to play the Med-Jai off the Sami-Nhir. After all, we just wanted to wipe out the Med-Jai and the Sami-Nhir appeared as the most useful tool. So after a while, I went back to the Sami-Nhir village and joined them. As a spy you could say. But then, the Sami-Nhir had a brilliant brainwave – suggested by me, I might add. They sent _me_ into the Med-Jai camp to spy for them. So I was in the Med-Jai camp, spying for the Sami-Nhir, while trying to get the two sides to annihilate each other under the orders of _my tribe."_

"CURSE YOU!" Ardeth spat at the man, "_**How could you?!?!"**_

Shahin's face warped with anger and we struck the boy a vicious backhand blow which sprawled him out over the sand and left him dazed, "And the whole assignment led to the kidnapping of you, luring your father and his warriors into the Sami-Nhir trap to save you, and thus…….to this point in time. Where **I** will win the war. And the Med-Jai will be no more."

Ardeth struggled to draw in a breath into his hurting chest and Shahin laughed as he saw the eyes glazing rapidly as the boy struggled to comprehend all he'd heard. "Now boy, since you've heard your little bedtime story, I think its time for you to go to sleep. Forever."

**** 

"Finally we meet Med-Jai." Ruwaid grinned ecstatically, as his blade clanged with Hashims. 

"You laid a trap for us!" Hashim spoke bitterly as he fought back, his scimitar sliding down Ruwaids. 

"I don't see why we shouldn't have. After all, you massacred our whole village. Women, children, men, all alike to you savages!" As the Sami-Nhir chief spoke, he swung the blade around in a short circle, surprising the Med-Jai and cutting through the black cloth on his arm. 

"What? I don't understand!" Hashim and Ruwaid were fighting each other on horseback, on the top of a dune that allowed them to survey the whole battle beneath their hooves. They were far enough to see everyone but close enough to see everyone's faces and recognise them. 

"You Med-Jai killed everyone in the village! You slaughtered them all!"

"We did not! We would never do anything like that!"

Angered by the Med-Jai's denials, Ruwaid struck harder and fiercer then before, "You LIE!"

But Hashim was not the chief of the Med-Jai for no reason, and easily blocked and counter-attacked Ruwaid, "I do not. We Med-Jai would not do a thing like that, we do not fight other tribes. We have nothing to do with other tribes."

"You **_lying bastard!_** You killed my daughter and wife!! YOU KILLED THEM!" Ruwaid foolishly let his anger take control of him and this made his attacks ferociously wild, uncalculated and stupid. 

Hashim didn't answer but concentrated on disarming his rival, Ruwaid's anger was making his attacks sloppy and quickly Hashim slid his foot out of the stirrup of his horse and formulated his plan of attack. 

"Your silence shows your guilt! You admit it!"

"I admit nothing." Hashim said through clenched teeth and with a lightning quick blow feinted to the left, then when Ruwaid went to cover it, he swung to the right and slashed the palm of the hand that was holding the sword. 

With a roar of pain and anger, Ruwaid dropped the sword onto the ground and at that exact moment, Hashim pushed himself off his horse vertically and leapt across the divide to land squarely on the man's chest, pushing him off his horse and pinning him to the sandy ground. 

Ruwaid grinned maniacally from his place beneath the Med-Jai and shouted up, "Kill me! Kill me almighty Med-Jai, send me to see my family whom you also slaughtered!"

In response, Hashim only gritted his teeth, and making sure that the point of his scimitar never wavered from the man's neck, he snarled, 'Where is my son?"

Ruwaid laughed bitterly and said, "IF you let me stand up, then I can point him out for you!"

Hashim growled but roughly grabbed the man, and forced him to stand beside him, the sword pricking against the captured man's side. _"Where is he?"_ The voice had dropped to a dangerous growl, a murderous light entering the father's eyes. 

Ruwaid grinned and then suddenly pointed out the dusty black figure lying on the ground with another man bending over it, "Over there. There's your son, looks like Shahin is standing over him. And oh! Would you look at that? The sands red underneath him!" The Sami-Nhir chief laughed manically, enjoying the look of distress that appeared on the Med-Jai father's face. 

"Be quiet!" Hashim snapped while worry for his son clouded his perceptions. Even though he was viewing him from a distance, for some reason, every detail about his son could be easily seen. Hashim bit his lip anxiously, he had never seen his son so pale, his face was pinched in pain and he could even see Ardeth's blood-stained hand pressed against his side, futilely trying to stem the flow of the red liquid that was quickly changing the colour of the golden sand. His normally handsome face was thin from starvation and carried the first signs of bruising from many blows. 

__

"What have you done to my son?!" Hashim snarled at the man laughing silently beside him. With a sudden burst of anger, Hashim pulled back and punched Ruwaid. The blow snapped the Sami-Nhir's head to the side, but the after the shock of the blow wore off, Ruwaid continued with his insane laugh. As blood flowed sluggishly down the insane man's chin, its source a split lip, Hashim grabbed the man's tunic in a bunch in his fist and pulled the man closer to him, until their noses were almost touching.

The murderous light in the Med-Jai's eyes finally got through to Ruwaid and his laughter faltered slightly as Hashim repeated his question, venom dripping off every word, _**"What have you done to my son?" **_

In return, Ruwaid sneered and said, "We just……welcomed him here. After your _welcoming_ into our village, it was _the least_ we could do for him."

Hashim shook the man roughly, his anger blinding his mind, "What part of this don't you UNDERSTAND? **We DID _NOTHING_ TO _YOU!_** We didn't even realise your tribe even EXISTED before you _KIDNAPPED_ my _SON_."

"LIAR!" Ruwaid spat in the Med-Jai's face, not willing to believe what he was hearing. "You lie, Med-Jai cur!" For years, Ruwaid had nursed his hate for the Med-Jai, and just because this person told him that they had not committed the crime, he was not going to suddenly throw it all away. **"YOU LIE MURDERER!"** Ruwaid screamed at the Med-Jai chief. 

Hashim could see that Ruwaid would never waver from his beliefs. He would die with those beliefs. It was just so confusing. Hashim's tribe was being blamed for something that they had not done, his son had been kidnapped and beaten and at this very moment appeared to be bleeding to death on the sands below him, and yet, he couldn't understand the _why. Why_ had this occurred? 

At the moment, it didn't matter. The why didn't matter. What mattered was the small, scared black-robed boy lying bleeding on the sands. Hashim's hand tightened on Ruwaids tunic as his paternal instincts flared up. 

"Tell your men to fall back my Lord." Hashim ground his teeth while issuing the order, giving the man his honorary name to give some respect, despite the fact he obviously didn't deserve it. 

"No." Ruwaid grinned. His eyes had lost all light of rational thinking, instead were glazed with the look of the psychotically deranged. Hashim half expected him to start frothing at the mouth and try to bite him. _No, Hashim. Only mad people froth at the mouth. Insane people froth at the brain. This chief is INSANE. _

"Your men will all die pointless deaths! You will die! Your tribe will be finished!" Hashim tried to shake some sense into the insane chief, and instead of rational thought occurring, Ruwaid started his low maniacal laugh again. The laugh that set Hashim's teeth on edge and made him believe that there was no hope for this man.

"Then we all die Med-Jai. We. All. Die. Congratulations! You're job is finished! But, we will take some of you with us! Yes, we will! You and me, together, together we will drag each other into the pit of hell. Burn in hell! Die, filthy Med-Jai!" Ruwaid threw his head back and let loose an ululation which carried his reckless and deranged state of mind. 

Hashim controlled himself, the temptation to strike the man again was strong. "But your tribe will die! Your name will perish! It will blow away on the sands! No one will remember the mighty Sami-Nhir! Like the desert lion, your ashes will float away on the echoes of the sand! Surely, you cannot want that!" Hashim tried to appeal to the man's chief duties. 

And for a second, the thought worked, as Ruwaid's laughter faltered and he hesitated before replying. Slowly, the insane glaze left his eyes and was replaced with endless sorrow and sadness. Then with a voice thick with remorse, "My son will continue the tribe. He is hidden away safely from the fighting. With him he has his first child, and his wife. Together, they will continue the Sami-Nhir, if we are all to perish."

Like a person coaxing someone off a cliff, Hashim spoke gently to the man, "But you need not all perish. You can watch your grandson grow up, _you_ can teach him _your_ ways. Just yield, _please yield!_ You have done that you can," _and more_, Hashim thought. _You have done much more. More harm._ But these thoughts Hashim kept to himself as he watched Ruwaid struggled to take control of his mind once more. 

"S-Surrender?"

"Yes." Hashim prayed anxiously as beads of sweat started to appear Ruwaid's forehead.

"Would you then kill us?"

"No! We do not kill innocents!" _Well, not unless they're trying to awaken The Creature_, Hashim grimly thought. 

"B-but…..you….." Ruwaid still struggled.

Hashim watched and unconsciously loosed his grip on the man's tunic as he watched the inner-battle. 

A small cry of pain was borne to him on the wind, the voice, one that he knew well. Hashim's concentration faltered as another cry was wrenched from his son. When a third one was heard, Hashim couldn't take it any longer and quickly turned away from Ruwaid to have a look what was happening to Ardeth. 

At that moment, Ruwaid struck. Twisting himself out of Hashim's grip, he snatched up his scimitar that was lying on the sand nearby and simultaneously kicked the legs out from under the Med-Jai. 

Hashim was taken by surprise, his concentration had focussed on his son, and he had thought that Ruwaid had really begun to turn. _But obviously you were wrong_, his sardonic voice echoed from behind his mind and as if he was elsewhere watching the battle, he saw himself swing his sword up just in time to deflect Ruwaids downward thrust. 

For a short while, the two men were engaged in a battle of strength, as both tried to get the upper edge, yet their swords appeared to move very little. Anyone watching would've seen the concentration etched on the men's faces, the muscles bulging with their power and the sweat running down their faces. They also would've heard both men panting, and the man on top, Ruwaid, had started to chuckle evilly once again.

Slowly but surely, the swords began to move downwards, towards Hashim. The Med-Jai chief was no weakling but Ruwaid was fuelled by the strength of the insane, of the strength of a person not caring if they lived or died. 

Centimetre by centimetre, the scimitar's dangerously sharp blades moved closer to Hashim's neck. 

__

I am sorry my son. I have failed you. Hashim strained even harder but no matter how much strength he put into pushing back, Ruwaid also had the power of gravity on his side, and the blades didn't stop their relentless downward path.

All that Hashim could think of was that he had failed his son. That his son was going to bleed to death, not even realising his father had returned to collect him.

Hashim closed his eyes, and tried to still his feelings of grief and guilt. But no matter what he tried to tell himself, his mind kept chanting: 

__

You've failed.

**** 

**Please leave a review and i'll give you a cookie!**


	18. Strike one

**Another chapter. We are sooo close to the end, its maddening for the people that are actually bothering to read this story and sad for me. Its like 4 months of writing is finished in just 3 weeks. How sad! *sniffsniff* **

Siri: Huh? Sorry i'm still not makin ne sense of it....when i go *chaching!* its meant to be the sound that a moneytill makes when its wrong up...like a buzzer kiknda thing...er....right...? *hurriedly changes subject* Anyway, heres a cookie!!

**girly girl:** Wow. Other people who read my story! Heres an update and a reply to u! And here, have a caramel choc-chip cookie! Lotsa sugar!

**Nakhti:** There you are! i was beginning to get worried, i hadn't recieved a review! But its all good! Fido's an old dog, hes not gonna learn any new tricks anytime soon! And i don't think ud be a big fan of pratchett neway. Some ppl love him, some ppl hate him. *slap* stop talking dirty about my ari! hes my 18 year old! You can have him as the [insert old age] he is in the movie but my ari is INNOCENT and u haven't tainted him....yet.... 23 is not ancient. What are u going on about?? Several of my friends are going out with guys that age, and i'm 17. Turning 18 in april. My friends are 16 and 17. So yeah...early 20's are the time u really blossom! live it up! I'm not even going to touch on the Eomer thing....i'd say that ari is the 'epitome of rugged handsomeness'.....but *shrugs* "Your focus determines your reality"! heheh, i notice no tears over Zen's death...glad shes outta the way? Oh, whats this 'good line' that i apparently wrote? "Then she died"? Ohh yeah, his wounds not fatal...yet. Its only a couple of broken ribs and a hole. Theres only the chance of bleeding to death. Well, you're smart. They're not! Hes wounded keep in mind, that always muddles things up. I really didn't like that payout bout Anubis' minions...it sounded lame. Oatmeal RAISIN?!?! i don't think they even sell them in Australia! No, for that extra long review, you can have a double chocolate, chocolate chip...hmm...have the rest of the packet!

**Do you think i'll make 100 on my reviews? Damn, its a very slim chance of reachin it....very slim with my review rate, but GOD, that'd be fantastic....please, please, PLEASE leave a review so i can reach 100! (yeah, i know, i shouldn't beg.......*throws herself to her knees* - PLEASE!!!)**

**** 

Ardeth's eyes widened in shock and fright at Shahin's words. 

Shahin laughed at the boy's reaction, but instead of Shahin suddenly lunging towards the boy and causing him a painful and ultimately slow death, as Ardeth expected, the older man roughly grabbed the teenager and dragged him into kneeling position, facing the way that he had come, facing the cave that Jawhar, Zen and their child were hidden. 

"But first...i think I would like to see you squirm a little bit." Shahin grinned.

Ardeth's heart plummeted as he heard the words. "J-just..what are you g-going..to d-do?"

"I saw you helping Ruwaid's boy after his beating. So, don't think that I don't know that you care for the boy. For what reason, I don't know. But I do know, that you, however stupidly, do actually care for this boy."

_No_. If it were possible, Ardeth's heart dropped even further. Even though, his mind rebelled against his feelings, _No. You are wrong. I don't care as much for Jawhar, as I do for Zen. I care for Jawhar because I care for Zen. _

"No. Y-you're wrong." Ardeth stuttered while Shahin's grin just grew even more malicious. 

"Admit it boy." Shahin taunted the wounded child.

"No! You're wrong!" Ardeth tried to make the man believe him.

"Whatever you reckon boy. But if you won't believe that, then how bout this?"

"W-what? You c-can't..harm me m-more then y-you...already have d-done." Ardeth was unconsciously trembling, a fact Shahin found out slightly amusing. 

"Yes? Well you see this?" With an over elaborate gesture, Shahin pushed his robe back and brought out a stick of dynamite. "I always carry a couple around with me, just in case, some, er, demolition work is needed. I knew that Ruwaid was going to hide his child and grandchild, so that they could continue the Sami-Nhir tribe, but my orders were to see that both tribes wiped each other out. And my plan was to arrange the war between them both, at which I've succeeded, and then afterwards, I'd kill everyone else. Including Jawhar and his little family. And it's just as well that I do carry around this dynamite with me, because it will come in very handy." Shahin raised an eyebrow at Ardeth and then turned and looked pointedly at the pile of rubble that Jawhar, Zen and their child were hidden in. 

Ardeth's face rapidly paled. "Y-you wouldn't!" 

"Wouldn't I?" Shahin was enjoying the look of anguish that crossed the youngster's face. "You know me probably better then anyone little Med-Jai. So, you read my mind and tell me, would I?"

Ardeth struggled to speak. _What can I say?_ Even though the pile was 'small' by normal standards, it would undoubtedly badly injure, even kill, anyone caught underneath it. If the collapse of the rubble didn't kill the person, then the concussion from the dynamite probably would. And with Thaqib...Ardeth didn't even want to contemplate the event. The young baby would die. Jawhar would die. Zen would die. 

"You don't know if a-anyone I-is..in t-there!" Ardeth stupidly, tried to bluff, despite the fact that his earlier reaction had given away the answer. 

"That's true. I don't. Hmmm, that's a good point young one. Yes, I will test my hypothesis with this theory." In a flash, Shahin had lit the fuse to the dynamite, and as soon as the flame had taken hold, he hurled it at Jawhar's hideout. 

Ardeth watched in shock, as the stick of dynamite clattered against the side of the hideout and slid down to the side, outside and around 20 centimetres away from the hideout.

"So tell me again little Med-Jai. Would I commit such a _horrible_ act?" 

An explosion rocked the valley 

**** 

Hashim truly believed it to be the end, that he was going to die and fail his son, when suddenly, the downward pressure stopped. Hashim blinked in surprise but despite the fact that Ruwaid wasn't pushing down, he wasn't easing up either. The sword was still locked in place. 

But in a split second, the sword was gone, flung away from Hashim's neck and Ruwaid's face had drained of all colour. Hashim, noticing Ruwaid's lapse of concentration, kicked the Sami-Nhir off him and quickly swung his scimitar around, to slice across the back of the kneeling man, but his swing faltered and stopped as Ruwaid paid no attention to him, his back turned solidly to the Med-Jai.

Hashim lowered his sword slightly. He could not kill a man with his back towards him. It just wasn't..right. Instead, he licked his lips and in a rough voice snapped, "Fight! That is what you wish isn't it? Then turn around and FIGHT me!" 

Hashim expected Ruwaid to rush him, to fight him, to do anything but he was not expecting what Ruwaid actually did do.

Ruwaid dropped his sword, its handle slipping from his fingers and falling soundlessly to the sand. He still wouldn't turn to face his opponent, instead his eyes frantically watching the scene occurring below them.

Unable to resist, Hashim's eyes swung around to the scene as well, widening as they took in the events. The man that had been standing over his son, had chucked a stick of dynamite at a seemingly useless pile of rubble. 

But the effect it had on the Sami-Nhir chief astounded the Med-Jai. 

"No." Ruwaid whispered, his face pale and it's features contorted in shock and fear. "What are you doing? _**What are you DOING?!?"**_ Then, in a frantic run, the man stumbled down the dune and tried to sprint towards the rubble-pile. 

Hashim's felt unbalanced, like he had been left out of the script. The man he had been fighting, who had had the opportunity to kill him had suddenly left him and run away from him, down the hill.

Hashim did what any person would've done. He ran after his opponent. "What are you DOING?"

Ruwaid didn't even look around, instead shouted while pushing himself even faster, "My son!"

"What?"

"My son and his family are in there!"

"In where?"

The Sami-Nhir chief's answer was cut short, as there was a blinding flash, and a thundering explosion. The intensity of the light, made the men skid to a halt and quickly shield their eyes. 

Dust filled the sky and for a while, nothing was visible. 

Ruwaid sunk to his knees and whispered, "All is lost."

**** 

"NO!" Ardeth levered himself up onto his knees and watched in horror as the scene in front of him exploded. "ZEN!"

**** 

"Jawhar!" Ruwaid choked out, "My son!" 

Hashim could only watch on in shock, his thoughts centring on the well-being on his son, and sympathy even extending to Ruwaid. _Ardeth. _

**** 

Jawhar was still crying over the still body of Zen, holding her close to him, trying to will her spirit back to her body, when an explosion rocked the little cavern that he was hiding in. 

Jawhar almost didn't move, except for his initial jolt of shock. His crying hitched in his throat as fear coursed through his veins as the explosion echoed through the small cavern and the roof shook and dust and small stones fell all around him. Slightly larger boulders thudded into the ground beside him but Jawhar was too consumed with grief to notice, and if he had've noticed, he wouldn't have cared. If he had've moved to touch the wall, he would've felt the strong vibrations from the explosion outside but as it was, the shriek of rock moving on rock only barely reached his ears. It was the choking dust and the painful ringing in his ears that alerted him that something was wrong. 

Jawhar lifted his head from it's bowed position and looked up towards the entrance of the cavern. Something deep within him was warning him, screaming at him to get out of the rock death-trap or for an instant, Jawhar let his self-preservation overrule his grief and he struggled to get to his feet. 

But his legs were wobbly, felt like jelly and wouldn't hold up his weight. His ears were still ringing from the blast and he couldn't hear anything except the pounding of his own blood in his veins. His vision was double and hazy, the light shining through the entrance of the cavern was splintering and turning into a halo which surrounded the inside of the cavern's mouth, and also, Jawhar slowly shook his head lest if fall off, there were two entrances. But there was only ONE entrance, Jawhar muzzily remembered. 

The effects of a concussion from a blast could be deadly; Jawhar knew this and surmised that he was obviously just feeling the mild after-effects of the blast. The wall mostly shielded him but even so, the effects could still be felt by the boy. 

Jawhar tried to take a step forward but stumbled and fell back to his knees. His eyes took in once again, the body of his dead girlfriend and Jawhar didn't move. What was the point of getting up and leaving? There was nothing left for him out there. His tribe was being killed, and Zen was dead. 

There was no hope left. What was the point?

Jawhar bowed his head, placed a trembling hand on Zen's still chest and closed his eyes, his mind filled of happy memories, now seemingly hollow. 

Somewhere in the dust Thaqib cried.

His father ignored him, consumed in his grief.

**** 

Hashim regarded the Sami-Nhir man kneeling on the sand, his enemy broken. So the enemy does have feelings, Hashim thought, then reprimanded himself, _You would do the very same thing if it was your son._

Hashim stepped forward and gently placed a hand upon the man's shoulder and was surprised to find him shaking. "I am truly sorry about your son." 

Ruwaid made no move to acknowledge the words or gesture. Instead he just knelt there and whispered, "Jawhar, my son. Gone. The last of my children. Gone." 

Hashim didn't know what to say. _What can you say to something like that?_ The wadi seemed almost silent, even the sound of metal meeting metal was muted after the explosion. Hashim snapped out of his reverie and turned his thoughts back to the kneeling form on the ground before him. 

"Ruwaid! May we have a truce? If we continue like this, you know as well as me, that it can only end with the destruction of both our tribes. Do not let your son's death be in vain. You can still save the other members of your tribe. We can help you re-establish. Ruwaid, please consider a truce..please."

For a long while nothing happened, nothing in the scene moved. Hashim had given up and was just removing his hand when another tanned hand gripped his and held it tight. Hashim almost jumped in surprise, he had not expected such a quick move from such a broken man. 

Ruwaid stumbled to his feet and faced the Med-Jai. For the long minutes that Ruwaid had been silent, furious but desolate thinking had occurred. His son was dead. The war was over. The tribe was finished. He would not sacrifice more of his people to the Med-Jai. There was nothing honourable in death, not in this way. He could hear the dying cry of his people all around him as they fought, fought for him, fought for his stupid cause that was costing them their lives. 

It just was not worth it. The thought had arrived clearly and rationally to the Sami-Nhir chief. 

"You have your truce Med-Jai." This time resignation tinted the chief's voice instead of the furious hatred. 

"Thank Allah!" Hashim gripped the man's shoulder tighter, "Thankyou Ruwaid." Then dropping his hand he looked at the Sami-Nhir chief and after Ruwaid nodded in reply, Hashim reached deep into his robe and took out a medium sized horn. Ruwaid also pulled out another horn, lighter in colour and smaller, the only discernable difference between the two instruments.

"You first." Hashim nodded encouragingly to Ruwaid and the man in question, shakily raised the horn to his lips and despite his trembling, the note issued from the horn was loud and strong, its deep bass note echoed throughout the wadi and pierced through even the grunts of the fighting men, the humming of blades as they sliced through the air and the clang of the blades.

A split second later, Hashim followed suit but the note issued from his horn was slightly higher in pitch, and more musical, the different texture of metal creating a more mellow note. As the notes bounced off the dunes and died away, both of the chiefs turned to one another, and in a show of peace, grasped each others hands and forearms.

The warriors on both sides faltered as they heard the tune of truce and as one turned to look at their chiefs, starting slightly to see them grasping hands, in the traditional position of peace. Cautiously, slowly, they lowered their swords and despite the fact that there was no fighting no longer, there were no smiles either. The men on both sides were too busy remembering their comrades who had already fallen before the truce was made. 

Hashim looked into the man's distressed eyes and sincerely spoke from his heart, "I cannot find the words to thank you for the truce Ruwaid. And although it may bring no consolation to you, I am very sorry about your son."

Ruwaid blankly regarded the man in front of him for a while, sighed and replied, "Not as sorry as I am. Jawhar was my last child. No parent should ever have to bury their own children."

Ruwaid turned away from the Med-Jai and made to walk off but stopped as Hashim squeezed the man's shoulder again and said, "I'm sorry Ruwaid." The Sami-Nhir chief didn't turn around but spoke softly, a sob catching in his throat, "Thankyou. But you should probably see to your own son Hashim, leader of the Med-Jai."

And with that last remark, Ruwaid shook off Hashim's hand and trudge away, his shoulders slumped, his posture that of a broken man. _Shahin is a dead man walking_, Ruwaid angrily thought as the slowly trudged away, _What the hell was he thinking?!?_

Hashim sighed sadly, and turned away to survey his surroundings, _Such a wasteful loss. I have never seen so many good men die for something so pointless_. His thoughts turned towards Ruwaid son. _Even the children were dragged into it, and not spared. _

Hashim looked over his men, and saw them looking back at him, their eyes reflected their relief of being alive and their sorrow of losing their friends. Hashim could feel the heavy burden of all the warrior's deaths upon his shoulders. There were times when Hashim detested being the chief of the Med-Jai. Knowing what he should do, and actually _doing it_, were two VERY different things. 

Hashim felt decades older then he actually was.

Hashim could feel the sadness in his soul as he surveyed the bloodstained sand but shook himself out of his stupor. He couldn't show this weakness in front of the men, he was their chief and he was there to bolster their confidence, to make them believe that what they did was right, and what they did WAS right. They had nothing to be ashamed about. 

It was Hashim that was ashamed. He shouldn't have let his love for his son rule him. He should've thought rationally, and then maybe, men would've been spared. They wouldn't have rushed into this ambush and almost slaughtered. There would probably be more faces looking up at him, alive, able to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin, the wind of their faces, hear the rustle of the sand grains moving. 

But that was in the past now. There was nothing that he could do about that now. _Let the dead rest and bandage the wounds of the living_, Hashim remembered the wise words his father had left him once after one of his first battles. _You will always think of what you should've or could've done after a battle, you will always think of the what-ifs but the battle is in the past. You cannot and can never change the past. You must learn to live with your decisions and bear them nobly as their leader as one would with battle scars. You must show outer strength even if you quail inside. Always celebrate a victory or peace - NEVER let the men's deaths be in vain. They didn't die for that._

Hashim sighed, but squared his slumped shoulders and was about to say something to the men congregated in front of him before running off to find his son when a dusty silhouette caught his eye. His mouth hung open in shock, but hope shined in his eyes. Spinning around Hashim shouted:

"Ruwaid! The cave! The cave! It still stands!"

**** 

** Consider my plea and leave a review!**


	19. Sacrifice

** Well, this is the 2nd to last chapter. One more to go after this and then it's over. *sob***

Freakizimi: Yes! I wanna read ur fic! I'm sure its great! A link would be great or u could just send it to me hotmail addy. And nah, i live in Australia. This website is pretty american-dominated eh? You're from Britain? CooL! yeah, you're right. i'm being selfish. 95 reviews is nothing to sniff at. It's fantastic! It's great! That's an average of 5 reviews a chapter, thats great! What am i complainin about? I don't know. Having a sad day i guess! *dances* i got a cookie! hey, you know that i'm doig my first lotr story as well! Me proud!

**Nakhti:** you're from Britain as well? Wow. Theres lots of british ppl on here too! and here i was thinkin it was mainly american. As you notice i'm avoiding the ari subject. I'm going with the phrase, "ignorance is bliss." i like that phrase. Ardeth don't know Zen is dead yet. Oh! You'll like this chappie! Well, i wasn't sure whether to make her wife or girlfriend and in the grand scheme of things, does it matter? shes dead! yeah well, i couldn't really have Hashim whip out the grand piano out of back pocket so they could have a duet. Beam me up [a scotch and soda] Scotty! Heres your happy ever after!

**author unknown:** Your review doesn't suck. It made me happy cause it lets me know that there are lurkers out there! Lurkers are good and thanks heaps for the review although i think i was just being selfish. hey, i might get 100 by the end! Thanks for a review!

**Medjaiangel:** thanks for ur review! Happy Valentines back! Another one closer to 100! I reckon i'll get there! Maybe *touch wood* Nah, 100's good enough for me *evilgrin* and thats all i really deserve for making everyone wait and a crummy plotline and screwed up storylline, but anyway.....

**Ok, i kinda suspended reality here so yeah, its not really gonna be true to life. Just letting you know, for all those ppl that'll go, "you can't do that, you can't do that in the real world." Hello? FANFICTION! What reality?**

**** 

Ardeth gloated from his place on the ground…….well gloated as much the pain would let him. He watched the truce, seen the men stop fighting and now, it turned out the cavern was still standing, thus the people inside would be virtually unharmed. All in all, it was not going to Shahin's plan. 

"Ha ha ha." It hurt too much to actually laugh, but the plain words with laced intent had the same effect on Shahin, "It seems that you've failed. Isn't it ironic that the truce wouldn't have been made if you had not have tried to blow up the cavern?"

Shahin snarled, and a look of malicious hatred and anger so vivid flashed over his face that for a split second Ardeth was terrified. "Shut up you Med-Jai brat!" And with unthinking brute force, he slammed the butt of the rifle into Ardeth's wounded side, shattering the already broken and fractured ribs. 

The boy's anguished cry of pain echoed through the wadi, causing heads to turn. Hashim turned pale as he recognised his son's voice, although it was hoarse and choked with agony.

"ARDETH!" Hashim desperately tried to find the location of his son, but there were too many people around him, blocking his view, making it impossible to find his child. Hashim pushed through the throng of warriors, although most of them moved out of his way, their heads also turned to try and find the boy's location. 

The wadi was playing havoc with their hearing, the child's cry was being bounced around the dunes, making it hard to pinpoint it's actual source. 

**"ARDETH!"** Hashim yelled his son's name as loud as his voice box would allow, fear consuming him as all he could hear were the murmurings of the warriors and the quiet hum of the wind sliding over the surrounding dunes. 

"Father!" The reply was full of relief but weak, and the choked cry after it suggested that someone was still doing something to Hashim's son. "Father!" The voice was full of pain but the frantic panic and fear note in it, made Hashim scared. 

"Ardeth! I'm coming! ARDETH!" Hashim finally managed to get out of the group of warriors around him and found himself faced with more carnage-ridden scenery. He looked wildly around but in his panic, his eyes slid over the figures in extremely still position, far away to his right. "Ardeth! ARDETH! Where ARE YOU?!" Hashim was beginning to panic, the silence was deafening, the warriors behind him had gone silent and even the wind seemed to still.

As Hashim's eyes hysterically swept the view from side to side, he eye finally saw and recognised the one of the two figures as his son, just as quickly his heart soared with relief, it plummeted through his feet as the scene in front of him exploded into action and a parent's worst nightmare came true. 

**** 

Ruwaid spun around in shock as he heard Hashim's words about the cave still standing. If the cave still stood, then there was a good chance that it had shielded anyone from the blast and that meant…….that mean, that meant that his son and grandson was alive and that meant that the tribe……..the tribe was saved!

Hope soared in his heart but he tried to still it, all his life it had been one disappointment after another. It would not do to get his hopes up just to have them dashed when the Med-Jai had seen wrongly. 

Ruwaid squinted, almost fearful to see the result, what if Hashim was wrong? _Then you are in no position worse then you already think you are_, he reasoned with himself. 

There! In the settling dust and clearing air, he could see it! The outline of the cavern! It stood! Jawhar was alive!

Ruwaid felt his heart go still with painful hope and he resolutely turned around and started running back the way he came, intent on seeing if his son lived, and if the tribe would, thus, be sustained. 

But each step he took towards the cave seemed to take an age to complete, and it seemed the closer he got, the further away the cave became. The seemed to take on an greasy feel, like time itself had slowed down and as Ruwaid's feet struck the sand for his sixth step, his heel kicking up its own cloud of dust, the scene horribly changed and Ruwaid found himself stuck in a terrible nightmare, a spectator in his own demise. 

His knees grew weak and on his seventh step, it felt like he would collapse. Suddenly time speeded up once more, the scene in front of him exploded and Ruwaid was blown off his feet as the fragile glass of hope shattered within his grasp. 

**** 

Ardeth's cry of pain as his already broken ribs shattered echoed throughout the wadi as Shahin laughed maniacally. 

"You may be right boy, for once, your measly brain might have come up with a half-decent thought." Shahin grinned insanely and watched in glee as the boy writhed in pain on the ground. 

"ARDETH!" The frantic voice of Hashim floated over to the boy and man on the still wind but Ardeth had his eyes screwed up tight, in an effort to stop the flashing lights behind his eyes and still the ever-worsening pain, and didn't hear, or if he did, didn't respond.

"But, you, Ardeth Bay, are going to die. You know it." Shahin roughly grabbed the boy's chin and ignoring the teenager's gasp of pain as he forced the child to look into his misty green eyes said: "Look into my eyes Ardeth Bay and recognise that you are going to die. You can see it as I can feel it. I can feel your life slipping away, dwindling, fading. You, also, can feel it can't you? You can see it. You can see it in my eyes, etched into my irises. You can see yourself fading, waning, dying."

"I…..m-may….d-die, but y-you….will….l-lose. P-pea…..peace has….b-been…a-achi…achieved. Y-you lose….S-Shahin." Ardeth's voice was slipping, his words slurring. He knew that he was losing too much blood, he knew that his body was going into shock, HE KNEW that if he didn't get help soon, then what Shahin said was right – he would die. 

**"ARDETH!"** His fathers panicked voice finally penetrated Ardeth's mind, like cold water poured onto a dying fish. 

Ignoring Shahin and the consequences Ardeth replied in a weak voice, "Father!" Whereupon, Shahin promptly hit the boy. However, Ardeth called again, panic lacing his voice as he thought of dying without seeing his father once more, "Father!" Ardeth closed his eyes, the black lashes contrasting drastically with his pale skin and forbidden, a tear traced it's way down his cheek. 

"Crying little Med-Jai boy?" Shahin sneered as he felt the teenager tremble beneath his hold.

Ardeth was close to breaking point and he knew it. He just wanted to go home. Go home safely in his father's arms and hug his mother once more. He just wanted to go home to sit around the fire and listen to the older men weave their tales. He wanted to watch The Sabre Dance once more and feel a loving hand touch him. He needed to go home. Oh how badly he wanted to be enveloped in a loving hug from his parents, to touch his mother's dark hair and trace his father's tattoos upon his face. 

But it would end today. One way or another. Ardeth knew this and was scared. Scared of dying alone, unwanted and unloved.

"You snivelling Med-Jai brat. If only you could see how weak you really are." Shahin smiled nastily and laughed shortly.

"L-laugh…..b-but you s-still….lose." Ardeth opened his eyes once more, it was getting harder to keep them open.

That comment wiped the smug smile off Shahin's face to be replaced with pure anger and spite. "You think so Med-Jai? You think you win do you? Well, know this, today, we _both_ lose." Letting the boy drop to the sand, Shahin reached into his robe and pulled out another stick of dynamite. 

Ardeth felt his heart leap in fear as he surveyed the lethal weapon in Shahin's hand.

"How fast do you think you can run little Med-Jai brat? Fast? Fast enough to warn someone in the cavern to get out before this stick explodes?" Shahin sniggered at the look on Ardeth's face. "Well, you better run fast if you want anyone in the cavern to live boy!"

Ardeth shook his head fearfully and whispered, "Y-you wouldn't."

"Watch me." Shahin carefully lit the fuse to the dynamite, bent down and whispered maliciously, "Run boy. Run. Warn your _friends_. Run fast boy."

Ardeth's heart stopped as he surveyed the spluttering fuse and then burst into painful life in his chest as adrenalin slammed through his body. "NO!" With strength he knew he shouldn't have, Ardeth pulled himself to his feet and began sprinting towards the cavern.

He heard Shahin begin to laugh behind him, a laugh full of menace and delightful glee as he prepared to throw the stick of dynamite into the cavern. He was enjoying watching the badly injured boy try to save people who didn't even like him, who had tried to kill him. 

__

Run boy.

Ardeth's heart hammered dangerously in his chest and his legs pumped harder then they had ever before. He didn't realise that his breathing had gone perilously shallow and had almost stopped. He didn't feel his broken ribs grinding together.

Shahin threw the stick with deadly accuracy INTO the cavern, the fuse still burning as it skittered along the rock floor, coming to rest inside. A blast within the cavern would kill anyone in there.

__

Run fast boy.

Ardeth's vision narrowed and tunnelled, until he could only see the cavern's entrance in front of him. He could dimly hear his heart beating in his chest, each thump marked by a muted ache. He could see the fuse slowly burning down, each spark flying off to rest on the cavern floor before dying out.

__

Can you run fast enough?

Adrenalin poured through the teenager's system, numbing and shutting down all pain nerves, making it seem that Ardeth could run forever, even though he knew that a sprint like this, in his condition could very well kill him. But Ardeth had not gone through seven kinds of hell, just to fail in the last moment. 

The Sami-Nhir would not fall. Jawhar and his family would live. They had to. They just HAD TO.

The cavern was getting close, so close. He was almost at the entrance………but the fuse had nearly all been burnt away.

Seconds, oh, how precious time had become. Mere seconds, that was all he had.

__

Run boy run. 

Ardeth breached the cavern's entrance, found himself entrenched in darkness, his eyes almost useless after the blinding sun outside and no energy to counteract for the light displacement.

_Run fast._

Jawhar's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the Med-Jai sprint into the cavern, his face as pale as a ghost and his black eyes glazing over. Jawhar had been so busy grieving that he had not even noticed the dynamite thrown into the cave and even now, couldn't hear the spluttering as the fuse burnt ever-more down. In the face of the Med-Jai wild head on rush, he instinctively turned around and grabbed the wailing Thaqib and clutched the robe of Zen. 

__

RUN BOY!

Everything happened so quickly, a sequence of events unfolded in the matter of mere seconds, even nano-seconds were counted down. Jawhar firmly held his child to his chest, Thaqib's head shielded by his father's hand. 

_RUN FAST!_

Ardeth couldn't even see where he was going but luckily he barrelled straight into Jawhar, wrapped his arms around the Sami-Nhir teenager and hurled him backwards, rolling them over and over until Jawhar painfully slammed into a rock slab. Throughout, Jawhar had held tightly onto his infant son but his grasp had been torn from Zen's robe.

__

FASTER!

Quickly, Ardeth's mind whirled and he realised, there was no time to get them out of the cave. There was no time. There was no time to even get behind the slab. Jawhar was an unresisting form, his mind still whirling from the battering it had taken from being rolled over viciously many times. Thaqib was eerily quiet but had been protected from the roll by Ardeth and Jawhar's bodies combined.

_**RUN!**_

Ardeth's mind thought as quickly as lightning flashes and without missing a nanosecond, with strength that the dying teenager shouldn't have possessed Ardeth roughly flipped Jawhar around so that Thaqib faced the rock slab, his little face pressed into Jawhar's tunic and Jawhar's arms wrapped protectively around his little body. Then Ardeth spread his body over Jawhar's, covering all his vulnerable areas, his kidneys, his back, his head, and wrapped his arms around the Sami-Nhir boy, Ardeth's body protecting Jawhar's.

_****_

RUN FASTER! RUN BOY RUN!

Ardeth tightened his hold on Jawhar, and although Jawhar didn't really know why, he tightened his hold on Thaqib. For a second all that could be heard in the cavern was harsh breathing and then…………

"Times up." Shahin spoke softly from outside the cavern, having watched Ardeth's sprint into the cave.

The dynamite exploded.

There was a huge burst of light, even with his eyes clenched shut and facing the other way, the bright light seared Ardeth's eyeballs and burned his retinas. The explosion was like nothing he had even heard before, it was so loud, it tore its way into his ears and burst his eardrums and then for a microsecond the pain struck as the explosive wave washed over the threesome. Ardeth's body stiffened and tensed as he numbly felt his back appear to be slammed by a solid wall of concrete. The pain! The pain was like nothing he had felt before. Rock shards smashed into his back and Ardeth screamed like he had never screamed before, the pain……the pain it was overwhelming……..Ardeth clutched his precious bundle even harder, making sure that it was his body that took the brunt of the explosion and that Jawhar and Thaqib would be safe. 

Everything went black as Ardeth lost consciousness yet his arms remained tightly around his fragile package like a death grip.

**** 

Shahin smiled with malicious pleasure as he watched the cavern explode and leaned into the blast as the concussion of it threatened to bowl him over.

No one could've survived that. His job had indeed been accomplished. The heirs to the Sami-Nhir and Med-Jai tribe had been exterminated.

With extreme nonchalance, Shahin turned around, walked away over a dune while everyone was looking at the horrendous explosion, got on a random horse and rode away.

He was going home to report his success. 

**** ****

"NO!" Hashim screamed as he watched the cavern blow up and fell to his knees, sobbing as he surveyed the wreck in front of him. No one could've survived that from within.

He had watched in horror, frozen, unable to move as his son had sprinted into the cave, to certain death – he had watched his son commit virtual suicide. And he had not been able to do a single thing about it.

And now, it was over.

**** 

Ruwaid was blown away as the concussion from the blast struck him, his body slammed into the ground some 10 metres away, and rolled like a rag doll.

"No." The Sami-Nhir chief whispered as he stared at the wreck from his place on the sands where he had come to rest.

A dynamite blast within a confined space was lethal, and killed virtually everything. There was no chance his son could've lived. There was no hope of that. 

His son was dead. Dead. 

Ruwaid had also seen Bay's sprint into the cave. Hashim's son was dead also.

It was over.

The war was over, but too high a price had been paid.

**** 

An age seemed to have passed where no one moved or said anything. The air still vibrated from the blast and the individual warriors figures seemed to be frozen. Then slowly, a solitary figure advanced towards one lying on the ground.

"My Lord? Ruwaid? Are you okay?" Mikail bent down and touched his leader. Behind him, all the Sami-Nhir warriors were gathering, tears forming in their eyes. Their future leader was dead, gone. They had watched the young boy grow from a toddler into a young man, and now he was gone.

Across the wadi, the exact scene was being played out except it was the Med-Jai warriors who were gathered around Hashim.

More time went pass and all that could be heard was the father's sobbing and the warriors lamentation for their fallen heirs. The sons had been well liked and would be greatly missed. 

Slowly, painfully, the two tribal chiefs stood up and shakily walked over to each other and grasped each other's arms tightly, to express their sorrow and sympathy for one another. Then as one, they turned to their warriors gathered in front of them and spoke in a trembling voice:

"Form a human chain, we must dig out our sons…..corpses." 

**** 

Jawhar cracked open en eye not that it did much good. It was still pitch black. _What am I doing here?_ He confusedly asked himself before the events struck him. They had been in an explosion. In a BIG explosion. But he was still alive. Admittedly, he felt like he had been a horse stampede and his head ached but he was still alive.

Thaqib! Jawhar suddenly awoke to the fact that he was still carrying his infant son in his arms and desperately tried to ascertain if the baby was alive. He heaved a huge sigh of relief when Thaqib abruptly kicked out and began wailing. So his son was alive. That just left……Ardeth.

Jawhar started in shock as he fully remembered what had happened. 

Ardeth had sheltered him from the blast. With his own body. The Med-Jai had hurled him away from the dynamite and shielded him. With his own body. He saved me. Jawhar's mind was in shock as it tried to deal with this new information, with information that proved that he, Jawhar, had been wrong all along about the Med-Jai's attitude. Ardeth Bay had saved him and his child's life. 

"Ardeth? Bay?" Jawhar's voice trembled and choked on the dust floating around him, "Ardeth. Can you hear me?"

Jawhar tried to move fractionally, and ignored the pain in his side, which indicated at least a badly bruised side. He was still clutched tightly in the Med-Jai's arms, but……..Jawhar tried to move but found he couldn't. The grip on him was like a death grip, like a body in which rigor mortis had set in. 

"Ardeth?" Jawhar's voice hitched slightly and with a single finger, touched the teenager's skin. It was cold, oh, so cold! "Ardeth!" The only reply to Jawhar's frantic cries was the wailing of his son.

The Sami-Nhir teenager took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down and listened. There was no sound of breathing except his own and his childs. Even though he was pressed onto the Med-Jai's chest, Jawhar couldn't feel the chest rising or falling.

"No." Jawhar clenched his eyes shut as the realisation struck him. Ardeth Bay was dead. He was not breathing, Jawhar couldn't feel a beating heart and his body was so cold. His limbs were frozen in their last position by rigor mortis……….Ardeth Bay was dead.

Ardeth Bay had saved Jawhar and Thaqib from the deadly explosion. And paid for it with his own life.

A solitary tear slid down the Sami-Nhir's cheek from guilt, grief and the sacrifice.


	20. Thus came the end

** YAY!!! *dances around* My goal has been achieved! I've reached 100. *face falls* This is the last chapter, the very end. *sigh* Its over so soon!**

Nakhti:You liked the last chapter? I thought u might've hated me for doin that to Ardeth. When i killed Obi in my SW fic, i got some fairly heated reviews! Its funny, my best work is when the character dies! "Thats just not cricket"? Hehehe, and i thought i was the only one that used that phrase! Oh, i'm on more solid ground here, just been cursed. Yay! I'll tell u if a piano falls on my head. Ohhh, chocolate factory? You're on! The closest cadbusty factory we got is in Tasmania! Too far away! Wow, i'm honoured with 2 reviews! Labotomised monkey??? Hahah, yes, u spelt fair dinkum right! u'll get there! You just gotta keep on writing. And as freakizimi qisely pointed out to me, 92 is not something to be snifffed at! Ppl out there would kill for that many reviews! Uh...yeah...fantastic at poetry. Just great. *hurriedly stuff the cookie into her mouth* Now, i expect plane tickets in the mail so i can go to the cadbury factory!

**Dark Illusionist:** Hey! a new reviewer! HI! And heres the chappie.

**Veritas et Aequitas:** More, and wat does ur name mean? 

**Firstmate:** *screams and then dances around in a circle* You gave me my 100th review! You are the bestest!! THE BESTEST!! Hey, don't worry. I read lotr as well, i'm also writing a lotr story at the same time as doing this one, but the lotr is going slowly....zzzz.....And i'd just like to say 'thanks' for reviewing!

**Medjaiangel:** Err, want a tissue? *tentively holds out tissue box* Thanks for ur compliments, they mean heaps! *blushes profusely* My death scenes always seem to be the best parts, hmmm, thats worrying! And u can prolly join the 'kill roz' evil characters club'. Apparently there was a 'Kill Caleb' club, i wrote an SW fic where a character called Caleb killed Obi-Wan. Ppl were not happy! BLOODSHED!

**So heres the last one. *sniff* I hope you like it! [THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO MY FRIEND BECK WHO IS TURNING 18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECK! MAY THE GOD OF WRITING SMILE DOWN UPON YOU!] *hisses* C'mon everyone! Say happy birthday!**

**** 

The next time Jawhar opened his eyes, he was lying on a bed and his head and side was bandaged. There seemed to be way too much light, it was utterly blinding but after a while, the boy's eyes adjusted and Jawhar found he could see. 

He looked around and was surprised to see his father slumped asleep beside him in a chair, his larger hand gripping his sons. "F-father?" Jawhar hesitantly questioned, his voice thick and slurred from the dust and still harbouring the effects of the explosion. 

Ruwaid jerked awake at the sound of his son's voice and snapped around to stare at his son, before his face split into a huge smile and the Sami-Nhir chief bent over and pulled Jawhar into a rough embrace. 

"Jawhar! My son! You are awake! You are alive! Oh, Allah, be praised! I thought I'd lost you! Oh Allah! Thankyou Allah!" Jawhar found it slightly amusing to hear his father babbling, he had never heard his father babble before. 

"Father? I…….w-what…..what am I doing here?" Jawhar looked around him in confusion, taking in the clean sheets and bandages, "How did I get here?" Memory slammed into him and he turned huge, panicked eyes onto his father, "Where is my son? Where is Thaqib?" The sadder parts of the memory returned to him and with woeful eyes, he said, "Ardeth Bay……saved me father. He gave his life for me. And…..Zen is gone." Jawhar choked back a sob, trying to conceal his weakness from his father.

"I know son, I know." Ruwaid gently caressed his sons face and answered the questions bothering him so much, "We all thought you'd died in the explosion. We thought nothing could've survived that. And normally, we'd be right. We had not been expecting……….Bay's sacrifice. We formed a human chain to try to remove the rubble to get to you, only expecting to find your bodies when one of the Med-Jai heard it."

"Heard what?" Jawhar asked, enthralled. It was hard to realise that this story revolved around him. It reminded him too much of when he'd sat around the campfire listening to stories that the elders had made up to scare the youngsters. 

"They heard Thaqib crying. That's when we knew that there was at least some life under the rubble. Allah, that gave us the strength of ten thousand men. If the baby was alive, then maybe you and Bay were too. How long we dug for I don't know, it seemed like forever. You were lucky my son. The roof had caved in on you, but the rock slab that you had laid against had saved you twice. Once from the deadly concussion of the blast and secondly, it had held up the falling rocks around you, creating a small cave with you, Thaqib and Bay contained within. A little pocket of life."

"Ardeth……?" Jawhar questioned, unable to take the tension.

"Sshhhh. I'm getting there. We came across Ardeth first." Ruwaid face crumpled with sadness. 

"Is he alive?" Jawhar asked frantically. "Is he alive?!?"

"Jawhar……" Ruwaid stopped, not knowing how to continue, "Jawhar, my son. You must understand that he was unprotected from the blast. Thaqib had you, Bay and the rock, you had Bay and the rock, Bay didn't even have the rock. He was too far away for the rock to have helped." Ruwaid eye's moistened as he looked upon his son's downturned head.

"He is dead then. He gave his life for me." Jawhar spoke dully.

"He is……not dead but….." Ruwaid raised a cautioning hand as Jawhar looked up with hope, "I do not want you raising false hope my son. He is very badly injured and he still may not survive. He is only just holding on. When we pulled him out of the rubble, he wouldn't let go of you. His arms were frozen in that position, even in his unconsciousness. He virtually was not breathing and his heartbeat was so weak, you couldn't feel it through his skin. We actually thought he was dead, but the Med-Jai shaman detected life within him and so far has managed to keep that flame of life still flickering."

"How long has it been since the explosion?" 

"Two days."

"Two DAYS?!? I've been asleep for that long?" Jawhar asked incredulous.

"Yes my son. Don't forget, you too were injured by the blast. You have broken ribs from some sort of impact, a severe concussion from the explosion and your eardrums have only really just healed. You also had slight internal injuries but they cleared up fairly quick."

"Thaqib?"

"Do not worry Jawhar. He is virtually unharmed. Just a few minor scratches, that is all. He was well protected. It is the Med-Jai child that we all worry for."

"I can't believe he saved me," Jawhar sighed.

"As we speak, he is still struggling to cling to life. The shaman is doing all that he can."

"Tell me of his injuries."

"Where to start? He has a bullet wound to his side, which initially broke several of his ribs. Shahin then shattered those ribs during a beating. He had lost a lot of blood but the shaman did something I had never seen anyone else do before. He took Hashim and transferred blood from the father to the son."

"You can do that?" Jawhar asked captivated.

"Apparently, you can." Ruwaid nodded and continued, "He has severe internal injuries, which were sustained from the concussion of the explosion. We had to remove his spleen but he can live without that. He also received a very very bad concussion. When we pulled him out of the rubble, he was bleeding from his ears, nose and mouth. His back had been torn apart by rock shards and many of the shards had to be removed from his flesh. But it is mainly the internal bleeding and injuries we are most worried about. The shaman believes that the concussion from the blast could've caused organs within Bay's body to explode or rupture."

"Will he live father?" The teenager had listened, horrified, at the list of injuries the boy had sustained in order to save him. 

Ruwaid hugged his son and whispered, "I do not know son. No one knows, only Allah. And it is too early to tell."

**** 

Hashim watched his son's pale, still figure, sorrow etched into every line in his body.

Two days it had been and no sign life within the battered body. Every second was perilous and could be his son's last. Hashim knew it and it was tearing him apart. _Do not die. Please do not die_, Hashim pleaded silently with his still son. But he knew what he asked was futile. He had no power over Allah. If he died, then……..well, nothing that he could morally do would bring him back. He could not use the Book. He would not use the Book. 

"Shaman. Please…….is there any improvement?"

The Med-Jai shaman smiled a toothless and humourless smile. "Only slightly my Lord."

"Will he live?" Hashim asked the dreaded question.

The shaman shook his head sadly and replied, "I cannot tell my Lord. Only time and luck will tell."

**** 

Time passed and the combined Med-Jai and Sami-Nhir camp was quiet and sad. Jawhar recovered well and helped nursing Thaqib.

A week passed and still there was no change in the still Med-Jai. All that could be said was that he was still breathing, still alive. Tenuously. 

Two weeks passed and Jawhar stood quietly grieving as Zen was lowered into a grave and finally laid to rest. There was a slight improvement with Ardeth but it was levelled out as the boy took a turn for the worse.

Three weeks passed and Ardeth's life signs became stronger, his skin less pale and breathing less shallower and less raspier.

Three weeks and four days passed and then Ardeth opened his eyes.

**** 

A celebration was in full swing after four weeks. Ardeth Bay would live. The shaman had confirmed it with a joyful smile and a quickly whispered, "It is good to have you back little Lord." 

The shaman's blood transfusion, strange and smelly potions, surgery and fantastic healing skill had saved the Med-Jai prince. Although Ardeth was awake and sanely coherent, a fact that had concerned the shaman the most, he was still pretty badly injured and his body badly needed rest to heal. So while Ardeth was allowed out, he was confined to bed rest and limited movements. Thus, he watched the party from the prone position on his bed/chair.

The fire burned merrily in the middle of the camp and tribal music emanated from the musicians who played the drums, pipes and horns. Any outsider watching would've been highly surprised to learn that the same people dancing joyfully had been trying to kill each other only a month ago.

Ardeth watched in wonder as several of the warriors performed their various Sabre Dances. 

Turning to his father sitting beside him he mischievously said, "Did I tell you that I did my first Sabre Dance here?"

"Really? No!" Hashim grinned, "Do you speak the truth?"

"Of course father! Would I ever lie?" Ardeth's dark eyes sparkled.

Hashim ignored the barb and instead spoke, "Then that indeed is something to celebrate! Warriors! Hear me! My son has matured further!" The warriors turned from their various activities to listen to their chief's news. "My son has performed his first Sabre Dance!" A roar of approval went up from the Med-Jai warriors as they received the news and after making a toast to their future leader, they returned to their previous activities. 

Ardeth turned to view Ruwaid and his son who were sitting across the fire from them. Ruwaid was laughing at something Mikail had just said, and Ardeth could see that the marks of anger had disappeared from his face revealing the soft, caring father that Jawhar must've grown up with. Suddenly, Jawhar turned and caught Ardeth's eye.

Ardeth instantly turned away, uncomfortable in his actions with the Sami-Nhir teenager. He had not had a chance to speak with the Sami-Nhir since he had woken up and didn't know how Jawhar would receive him. He didn't know if Jawhar hated him still for being a Med-Jai, or if he hated him because Ardeth had saved him. 

Therefore he was very surprised when a figure sat down next to him and revealed itself to be Jawhar himself. 

Jawhar pointedly looked at Hashim and Hashim grinned before making up the lame excuse of: "Uhm, I think Ruwaid wants to talk to me…….er….yes, he's waving at me…….uhm….i guess I better go, leave you two alone to talk…..er……bye!" and leaving. 

"Bay?" Jawhar asked tentatively, unsure of how to start.

"Yes?"

"I'd just like to say, I'm so sorry for what I've put you through the last couple of weeks. I'm so VERY sorry." The apology was hard and cost Jawhar his pride but it had to be said.

Ardeth's head snapped in bewilderment. He had not been expecting THAT. "You're sorry?"

"Yes. I am asking for your forgiveness, Ardeth." Jawhar bowed his head.

__

He's asking for MY forgiveness? He called me by my name. He called me Ardeth. Ardeth thought in confusion, "Of course you're forgiven. None of it was your fault."

"I thought you were dead. I really thought you'd died to save my life. You were willing to. I can't believe that you'd sacrifice yourself for someone like me. After all that I'd done to you, after everything I'd said and done. It was then that I realised that I had been completely wrong about you. Ardeth, it would honour me if you could count me amongst your friends." Jawhar dropped his head, knowing he didn't deserve to Ardeth's friend.

_Did I just hear right?_ Ardeth sat still in shock for a couple of seconds before replying, "Of course I count you amongst my friends! I must say, I am glad to see you alive though."

"Yes. I must thank you for that too. Because of you, Thaqib and I are alive and the Sami-Nhir tribe will survive and prosper." Jawhar was astonished at how quickly the Med-Jai could forgive.

Ardeth blushed but his expression saddened before replying, "There is no need to thank me. I'm afraid I did not save everyone."

"What do you mean?" Jawhar frowned, puzzled.

"I couldn't save Zen. I only managed to grab you and Thaqib. Maybe if I'd run faster, maybe if I'd been quicker, she could've been saved." Ardeth lowered his eyes in sorrow.

"Ardeth! You were almost dead on your feet when you grabbed us! You couldn't have grabbed Zen as well. Besides……." Jawhar faltered. Although she had died almost a month ago, her loss was still so painful, "………besides she was already dead." 

"What?!" Ardeth spluttered, incredulous, "What do you mean by that? How could she already have been dead? She was alive when I left the cavern."

"Shahin shot her. It was a ricochet, an accident really. It was quick and it was merciful." Jawhar looked at the Med-Jai. "Do not worry yourself over her Ardeth. She wouldn't want that. You are alive, she would be happy with that. She always did have a soft spot for you."

Ardeth nodded slowly, his heart still full of grief for her apparent abrupt loss. He had not known that she had already been shot. He thought that she had died in the explosion. Although it took a lot off his conscience, he still felt the grief of her passing.

"She has been buried?"

"Yes. Two weeks ago. We will visit her before you go." Jawhar nodded at the unspoken question. 

"Good. I can't believe Shahin shot her."

"Yes. That bastard. He has much to answer for." Jawhar agreed.

"I don't understand though……he told me…….he told me his family used to be part of the Med-Jai."

"What?" Jawhar thought he'd heard wrong, "He was part of the Med-Jai?!?"

"No. His ancestors had been in the Med-Jai……I don't understand though."

There was a slight cough beside him and Hashim sat back down beside his son, laid a fatherly hand on his shoulder and spoke, "I think I can help explain that."

**** 

"It is quite a long and complex story but I'll shorten it and make it easier to understand. Said easily, Shahin's ancestors caused one of the major rifts in the Med-Jai. Shahin's great grandfather wanted to wake up The Creature, to which, was totally against our law."

"The Creature?" Jawhar asked confused.

"Don't worry about it." Ardeth shushed him quickly, forgetting that he was there. "Why did they want to wake up The Creature?"

"Because they were sick of just looking after it. They had read somewhere, that if you woke up The Creature, then you could control it and they were tired of being feared and scorned. The Med-Jai tribe is not the most liked tribe in the sands, as you've found out." Hashim quirked at eyebrow at the Sami-Nhir teenager and Jawhar had the decency to blush and turn away.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"Forgiven." Ardeth quickly eased the boy's guilt and turned back to his father, "What happened?"

"There was a civil war amongst the Med-Jai and our great grandfather won."

"How come I was not told of this event?" Ardeth asked puzzled about the mystery.

"It happened four lifetimes ago, more then a century ago, slowly it is being forgotten and the memory is eroding away. I had almost forgotten about it and was going to tell you eventually. But unfortunately events overtook me. After Shahin's great grandfather lost the war, him and his followers were kicked out of the tribe, banished to the sand's mercies and we had long thought them dead. We'd thought that the desert had finished them but we were wrong. Oh, how wrong were we. And that nearly cost you your life Ardeth and it did cost the lives of Sami-Nhir innocents."

"You cannot be held in blame for the massacre Med-Jai." Jawhar interrupted. 

Hashim sighed and replied, "I know. But it always makes you wonder, makes you think about what you should've done. But from the information that the Sami-Nhir has given us, it appears that they wander about thieving and killing to live."

Ardeth nodded thoughtfully. It explained a lot, it explained everything. "The elder men would still have their Med-Jai tattoos wouldn't they?" the Med-Jai boy asked his father.

Hashim nodded, "Yes. And no doubt, some of the elders still probably tattoo some members of the group. That's how they managed to fool the Sami-Nhir. The Sami-Nhir blamed us and the rebels found out about the Sami-Nhir's suspicions. So the rebels sent Shahin, who was unmarked, into the Sami-Nhir. Shahin was then sent by the Sami-Nhir into the Med-Jai camp and then the Sami-Nhir and Shahin orchestrated your capture. Ruwaid used you as bait to lead the Med-Jai and me into a trap which I fell for. However, Shahin had an even loftier ambition. He planned to get the Sami-Nhir and Med-Jai to annihilate each other thus destroying the Med-Jai, their most hated enemy, and taking out another tribe as well. It was all going to plan until Shahin decided to blow up the cavern. That act was actually the catalyst for peace. After the second explosion, we believe that Shahin believed you and Jawhar to be dead, thus his mission was complete. So he just left. We believe he went back to his tribe to report on his 'success' of the Med-Jai and Sami-Nhir's downfall."

"We must get rid of the rebels before they cause anymore harm." Ardeth stated firmly and looked around the group as Jawhar and Hashim nodded.

"Yes, indeed. They must be asked to, er, change their ways. But first, my son, we are going to go home and you're going to get better!"

Ardeth groaned, knowing how much Abel would fuss and reprimand him. "Must I father?" He whined even though secretly he ached for his mothers loving arms and kind words.

"Yes you must Ardeth!" Hashim put on his most sternest expression and Jawhar laughed at Ardeth's mock expression of abject terror.

"Alright then. If you insist father!" Ardeth submitted and laughed merrily as Hashim gathered his son gently in his arms, careful of the healing ribs and other various injuries.

The night dissolved into a myriad of laughter, joy and happiness - feelings that had not been felt in the Sami-Nhir camp for quite a while. Jawhar and Ardeth's friendship deepened throughout the night and the last thing that Ardeth remembered before falling asleep on the sands was looking up at the stars, while laughing at something Jawhar had said and feeling relaxed and refreshed.

His ordeal had taught him much. Allah had indeed blessed him and the gods indeed HAD approved.

**** 

Ardeth stepped forward slowly, using Jawhar as a human crutch and carefully knelt down before placing the flowers on Zen's grave. They had been the only flowers in the wadi, around the waterhole and Ardeth had picked them with a prayer or thankfulness. 

There was nothing he could think of saying to Zen's grave, most of it had been said, expressed or vaguely hinted at. She had known his feelings for her and he had known that they had been futile. She had loved Jawhar, not him. 

Ardeth sighed and spoke his words before slowly walking away, "You'd be pleased to know that Thaqib, you little shooting star, has your eyes. Goodbye Zen. I must leave now but one day, I'll see you again."

As the Med-Jai and Sami-Nhir walked away together, a low sigh seemed to flow over the sand, although it could've just been the wind.

**** 

It was a bitter-sweet farewell. Ardeth was so glad to get home and so excited to get moving, yet he was sad to leave Jawhar and amazingly enough, his captors. Once everything had been sorted out, and realisation of Shahin's betrayal had set in, his previous captors had become his friends, as it had mainly been Shahin that Ardeth had been afraid of, Shahin that had goaded the Sami-Nhir into hating the Med-Jai further.

Ardeth himself was not walking home, his body was still in no condition to. Instead, the warriors of both tribes had made up a stretcher that was tied sturdily to two horses, thus Ardeth could be carried home in relative peace. 

The Med-Jai teenager looked around once more, letting the image sink into his memory to be remembered forever more. The shaman was packing his herb and medicinal bag, while talking to his father and aiming quick glances at him. Ardeth rolled his eyes, _Those men worry too much about me_. Hashim then broke off the conversation and walked across to Ruwaid, spoke quickly and then to the surprise of EVERYONE bowed ceremoniously to Ruwaid. 

Ruwaid and Jawhar stood still, shocked beyond words as they surveyed the Med-Jai chief, their most hated enemy in their past, honouring them with a bow. Then Ruwaid got himself under control and then knelt in front of Hashim. 

"I am so very sorry about the misunderstanding Med-Jai. Please forgive me." Ruwaid spoke from his heart, his head bowed down, his eyes staring at the sandgrains. 

Hashim straightened up and smiled, surveying the kneeling Sami-Nhir chief. Then placing a hand on the other chief's shoulder, he slowly helped him up and replied, "There is nothing to forgive. If I had've been in your position, I probably would've done the same thing. But that is in the past, and let us leave the past lie and concern ourselves with the future."

Ruwaid nodded, his eyes never leaving the Med-Jai's. "Yes, let us do that. Then, I wish you a prosperous journey, and for your son, I wish him a speedy full recovery. I cannot even begin to tell you how much we, myself and the Sami-Nhir, owe you."

"Thankyou for your blessing. You owe us nothing. For we give nothing and take nothing." Hashim grinned suddenly and leaned in closer and whispered into the Sami-Nhir's ear, "That's the Med-Jai code, but its not strictly kept anymore…….if you know what I mean." With an evil grin and a handshake, Hashim backed away and, murmured the formal farewell while touching his lips and forehead and then spoke for one last time, "Till we meet again Ruwaid, ruler of the Sami-Nhir! May Allah watch over you!"

Jawhar nodded, smiled and waved goodbye to Ardeth, "Goodbye Ardeth! We will meet again!"

Ardeth laughed, inclined his head in agreement and answered, "But when, only the echoes of the sand know and whisper!"

"Yes." Jawhar murmured the formal farewell while also touching his lips then forehead, "Only the echoes of the sand know."

****

The End

**** 

Finally over! It's over! *bursts into tears* And before neone says Ardeth's recovery is impossible, the same incident happened in the First World War, except one man shielded a wounded man with his body from a grenade and was thought dead but after ages, he recovered. So, it has happened!

But many thanks goes out to everyone who read my story and reviewed it. Special thanks to Nakhti, Medjaiangel, Freakizimi, Deana, Sirithiel and the mostly regular reviewers. You guys rock! You have no idea how much reviews mean to me! Thanks again to everyone and i hoped you like the story!


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